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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29666778">If I Didn't Know Better (I'd Say You Love Me)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/allthelovehx/pseuds/allthelovehx'>allthelovehx</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe, WandaVision (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Arranged Marriage, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Slow Burn, wanda maximoff/vision - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 23:21:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>47,300</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29666778</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/allthelovehx/pseuds/allthelovehx</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Wanda Maximoff's deadbeat dad did nothing for her whilst she was alive and even in death, he continues to make her suffer. Vision's stepfather died and left him with lots of messes to clean up. In short- due to the crimes of their parents Wanda and Vision are forced to marry one another for the duration of one year to pay off a debt and neither one of them is prepared to actually fall in love. Told from both of their perspectives.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Wanda Maximoff/Vision</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>123</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>226</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. one</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hellooooo this is my first fic I've ever posted on here so please feel free to critique! Also I am in the process of writing this, aiming to post two chapters a week if possible but that will depend on how uni goes these next few weeks. This will be fairly slow burn so please stay patient and I hope you enjoy reading these two idiots as much as I love writing them! I felt it was important to give them both a POV so the POV switches will either be clear through a little ****** or by a chapter change :)</p><p>The arranged marriage portion of the AU was inspired very vaguely by another X-Men AU I read YEARS ago so sadly don't remember who it was by :( if anyone knows it pls tell me so I can credit!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Vision hated being in charge. He had inherited his stepfather’s company six years ago and hated leading now as much as he did when he started. After graduating from college, he had returned immediately to New York to work in the product development portion of RedTech as per his mother and stepfather’s wishes. He had been happy there and had excelled, he had a creative technological mind after all. Now his days were filled with meeting after meeting, overrun with bureaucratic monotony and, whilst he was still the idea man for the company, he got to spend no time actually developing the products. Today was no different. </p><p>His morning had begun as usual upon arrival to the office- a morning meeting with Bruce and Tony, the two men who were now in charge of product development, which had led him directly into his midday appointment with one of the company lawyers. Sharon hadn’t mentioned what exactly the meeting was about but they had so many different branches to the company now that it was likely some small point that HR had overlooked. He was just pouring himself a cup of tea as his assistant let Sharon Carter into his office. </p><p>“Good afternoon, Mr Shade,” the blonde woman said. She was smartly dressed and visited regularly enough that she sat herself down in front of his desk without an invite. </p><p>“Would you like tea, Sharon?” Vision asked as he stirred the hot liquid, a gentle tinkling emitting from where the teaspoon hit the ceramic of his mug. </p><p>“No thank you,” she replied. She watched as he crossed the room and settled himself behind his desk. She was fidgeting slightly in her seat, an uncharacteristic show of nerves.</p><p>He sat his mug down on a coaster and said, “Well what brings you here today? You never mentioned in your email.”</p><p>She grimaced slightly before answering, “Mr Shade, something of a rather, well, sensitive, nature has come up this week and I think I must be dealt with urgently, which is why I requested a meeting today. It was actually my assistant that flagged it up, a notification from the accountancy department about money owed to the company. I read it over, this document I mean, and at first thought it was too outlandish to be true. But I read it again and, well, I can’t see anything out of order with it in terms of legality, it has been notarised and signed as one would expect. It’s just of such an unusual nature that I-”</p><p>Vision always made an active effort to not interrupt people, however Sharon’s nervous spiel was making him nervous too. “Pardon me Sharon, but could you explain to me what this document is? I’m sure it can’t be that bad.” He tried giving her a reassuring smile but she once again simply grimaced in return. She picked her briefcase up off of the floor beside her chair and snapped it open, then pulled out a wad of paper. </p><p>“As I’m sure you are aware, your stepfather made some, shall we say, unsavoury business decisions in order to keep the company above ground, before you gave your genius over to the brand and we could rely on the quality of our company to keep us afloat, instead of illicit loans and investment.” Vision merely nodded, he was very aware of his stepfather’s crimes, many of which he had had to work to cover up since his death six years ago. “Well, this is unfortunately one of those cases. It involves a David Maximoff? A name familiar to you at all?” Something about the surname sounded familiar to Vision, but he couldn’t place it, so he shook his head and so she continued. “He seems to have been a rather unfortunate man, a huge gambling and drinking problem, it would appear. Unfortunately, he passed away five days ago, on Friday last week, and this has registered in our system as he owes the company a rather large sum of money.”</p><p>Vision ran a hand over his face and took a sip of his tea before replying, “How much is it then? Surely not enough that accountancy has a real issue with it?”</p><p>“At the time of his death, he owed RedTech $500,000,” Sharon said. </p><p>“Christ,” Vision said quietly. Previously these sorts of debts sat at around five thousand dollars, a sum which a largely successful company wouldn’t miss being owed. Half a million dollars was another case entirely. “And I take it we have no way of accessing any of this sum, now that he’s dead?”</p><p>Sharon shifted in her seat. “That’s where the issue becomes a bit strange. It is written into the contract that he would have up until his time of death to pay off his debt or the debt would be passed onto his children, his daughter specifically, and it must be paid in full and immediately, within two weeks of his passing. I have sourced the daughter and from very basic research it seems that she will not be able to pay the fee, or anything close to it.”</p><p>Vision sighed. “So what do we do instead? Chase every penny this girl earns for the next fifty years?”</p><p>“Right, well, there is actually a very unusual failsafe written into this contract,” Sharon flicked through the stack of paper in her hand, to a passage she had marked clearly with a neon post-it note. She read directly from the document, “In the event that at the time of the borrowers’ death, the debt has not been repaid in full, the payment must be made in full by his daughter, one Wanda Maximoff, as one whole installment within two weeks of the borrowers’ death. If Wanda Maximoff is unable to pay the required sum of 500000 USD within the deadline, then she is to offer herself in marriage to the indebted for one calendar year, in order to repay the debt with her time since wealth is not an option.” Sharon looked tentatively up from the pages in her hand to see Vision sat with his mouth half open, not sure that he had heard her right. </p><p>“If she can’t pay, she is to marry me? A man offered his daughter up to pay off his financial debt?” He was horror-stricken at the thought. </p><p>“As I said, this is an exceptionally unusual case,” Sharon replied, her tone sympathetic. “The marriage is further detailed in Appendix B,” she said, flipping to the back where another post-it note stuck out of the file. “Would you like me to surmise the terms of the contract in whole?”</p><p>Vision was at a loss for words so he simply nodded for Sharon to continue.<br/>
She cleared her throat then read from her own notes, “The marriage between the indebted and the borrower (subj. Wanda Maximoff) is to last one calendar year. During this time it is expected that Ms Maximoff and the indebted live as husband and wife, with Ms Maximoff acting as her spouse deems fit and living with him, in order to pay off the debt. Ms Maximoff is disallowed from entering into sexual relations with any individual other than the indebted (her husband), the indebted is not required to adhere to this rule. Ms Maximoff, upon the dissolution of the marriage after one year is not entitled to the typical benefits expected for a spouse during the divorce process- all assets will remain the whole property of the indebted. It then goes on a bit to describe more specific details, but you get the idea.” </p><p>“I get the idea,” Vision echoed and wondered how on earth this could be happening. “And there is no way to change this? Since I am owed the money can we not change the contract to something less… Horrific? I mean, an arranged marriage like this is simply barbaric.”</p><p>“The terms of the main contract can’t be amended, I’m afraid they are all legally binding. However, changes can be made to the appendices- the terms of the marriage, so you could adapt those so that they are more fair,” Sharon said. “Mr Shade, I have kept this entirely under wraps since it popped up in the system yesterday as I didn’t think you would want the board knowing about it. If financial decisions lay entirely with the CEO, then you would be at liberty to shred this document without another thought, however a debt of this size going unmanaged would eventually be discovered by someone and the decision would go to the board. I thought you would prefer to decide whether or not we risk driving this woman into bankruptcy or work another solution.”</p><p>“What other solution is there?” Vision snapped, then immediately felt sorry for it. “My apologies Sharon, this is just not great news as I’m sure you understand. I have to marry this woman or ruin her life financially? There’s hardly a good option here.”</p><p>“No need to apologise sir, I completely understand. I’m afraid we will have to do something about it, and soon, as these things will get flagged up every week until they are resolved in the system with the correct documents. Luckily you designed such adaptive AI that no human eyes will have to process the documents and get a chance to read them so if we act quickly, no one needs to find out,” Sharon said. “I have Miss Maximoff’s contact details, should I reach out to her?” </p><p>Vision looked out of the glass walls that surrounded his penthouse office, sunlight was streaming across Manhattan, a mocking picture of late summer beauty given the day he was having. “Yes, I shall have to meet with her. But make it somewhere informal, please, I don’t want to bring her here and wave the situation in her face. In fact, let her pick the venue for the meeting, I would like her to be as comfortable as possible given the circumstances.”</p><p>Sharon’s expression softened. “You are a good man, Mr Shade. She will see that this isn’t what you want, you are as entrapped by the actions of someone else as she is.”</p><p>“Can you leave the contract here please, I would like to read the appendices in full,” Vision asked. </p><p>“I made you a copy of your own actually,” Sharon produced a second, identical stack of paper from her briefcase, before standing and smoothing the front of her trousers down. “Would you like me to be at the meeting with you? To explain any of the legal jargon and such?”</p><p>“No, not for the first meeting,” Vision said. “I don’t want to frighten her. I think, since I am more or less proposing marriage to a complete stranger, that it should be just us.”</p><p>“Of course,” Sharon said. Vision walked her to the door of his office. “I will send you all of the necessary information as soon as possible, have a good afternoon Mr Shade.”</p><p>“Thank you Sharon, same to you,” Vision replied and she headed off down the corridor. </p><p>Vision closed his office door then slumped against it, then ran a hand through his hair. What the hell was he about to do?</p><p>                                                                                                                     *****</p><p>Since Wednesday afternoon, when the RedTech company lawyer arrived at the bar Wanda worked in, she had been in a perpetual state of rage. Her deadbeat dad, though only just dead, hadn’t been in her life for years. Even in death, he was finding ways to ruin her life. Bankruptcy or arranged marriage, those were her options. And now the man destined to marry her was coming to meet her, in her local cafe, to discuss ‘terms’ as his lawyer put it. His lawyer, who had suggested Wanda source a lawyer of her own- Wanda had scoffed when she suggested it, as if Wanda had the money to afford a lawyer and wasn’t living paycheck to paycheck and mired in student debt. Wanda took out her rage on the only thing available- the empty sugar sachet sat next to her coffee cup. In an act of protest, she had done no preparation for this meeting. All she knew about Victor Shade was that he was the CEO of a billion dollar company as well as being the brains behind it, his prowess with AI was famous enough that even Wanda knew about it. She had been texting the lawyer, the man hadn’t even seen fit to give his cell number and had chosen this little place in a bid to soothe her anger. So far it wasn’t working.</p><p>Every time the door opened she looked up quickly from her specially selected vantage point from her corner table. She didn’t know what he looked like, though over the three days her imagination had cooked up an image of a villainous old man, creepy and leering. According to his lawyer, he would know what she looked like and Wanda hadn’t bothered to ask why. So when the door swung open and a gorgeous, tall, blonde-haired man dressed in an expensive looking blue suit walked through the door and scanned the tables quickly before his eyes landed on her and he crossed the cafe in a direct path to her, she was more than slightly taken aback. When she said gorgeous, she really meant it.</p><p> He sat down in the seat opposite her, then offered his hand across the table, “Miss Maximoff, I presume?” His eyes were unbelievably blue. Like, magnetically blue, if that was a thing that they could be. And that voice. The accent. Everything.</p><p>“Uh, yeah, but Wanda is just fine,” she said, taking his hand, which easily enclosed hers, they shook briefly before he settled back into his chair. “Do you want to order a drink?” She asked, looking down at her half drunk black coffee. He did the same.<br/>
“Yes I will actually, would you like another, Wanda?” He offered with an awkward smile. </p><p>“Yeah, sure,” she replied. She didn’t really need it or particularly want it, but she didn’t want to say no either, she was too busy thinking about how her name sounded coming out of his mouth. Victor Shade stood and crossed over to the coffee bar and she watched him, transfixed. She couldn’t really hear what he was saying but he flashed a polite smile at the barista and stuffed a few bills into the tip jar before he returned carrying a black coffee and what appeared to be a chamomile tea. Who the hell was this man?</p><p>“There you go,” he said as he set her coffee down in front of her and returned to his seat opposite her, she just nodded her thanks. “I...well… I have to confess this is the first time I have had a meeting like this. Believe me, I wish it wasn’t taking place.”</p><p>“That makes two of us,” Wanda replied and suddenly the spell of the man was broken as she remembered the reason they were here. “Is this your marriage proposal then?” Her voice was now sharp. </p><p>He recoiled slightly from her, which she took slight enjoyment in, before replying, “God, well, it's hardly a proposal if we’re both being forced into it.”</p><p>She choked on her mouthful of coffee. “Both? I’m sorry, how are we both being forced to do something? The way I see it, I am being forced to marry into some misogynistic relationship designed by a man who hated me and your stepfather, who I didn’t know, but seems to be even worse than my father. It’s that or cripple myself in even more debt than I already have. You’re sitting pretty on you millions of dollars, I don’t think we are both going through anything.” She took a long swig from her coffee as he regarded her with an unreadable expression on his face. </p><p>“I have tried for the last three days to find a way around this that doesn’t include robbing you of every last penny or a marriage which neither party wants but I have had no luck. I have consulted three lawyers and even considered contacting some old university friends that work with the New York District Attorney's office, though my lawyers have assured me that this contract, horrific as it is, is legally airtight,” he said. “If it was within my power, that stupid contract would have been thrown into the shredder the minute Sharon brought it to my attention. Unfortunately, there is no way out, for either of us. It is perhaps not my suffering but instead my guilt to carry.” </p><p>Wanda blinked at him, taken aback by the earnest expression on his face. He had truly tried everything within his power to stop this, he meant every word. “Well thank you for trying,” was all she managed in response. </p><p>He reached to the leather messenger bag tucked neatly under his chair that she hadn’t even noticed when he arrived (probably too engrossed with other features) and produced the contract that the lawyer Sharon had given her a copy of the other day. His was already dog-eared, with folded pages and post-it notes of all colours poking out from amongst many pages. He shuffled the pages into a slightly neater pile before clearing his throat. </p><p>“I, well, Sharon told me you didn’t have the funds for legal consultation, so I took the liberty of noting some amendments to the appendices to make the whole situation more pleasant for you.”</p><p>“Amendments? You can make changes?” Wanda asked. </p><p>“We can make changes,” Victor replied with a small smile. “Shall I go through the ones I propose? Unfortunately there are some terms in the actual contract, not the appendices and so couldn’t be adapted but I have done my level best to change what I could.”</p><p>“Yes, please tell me,” she said, finding herself once again captivated by his voice and the wonderful sincerity with which he spoke to her. </p><p>“Alright then,” he straightened out the pages a bit before starting. “Firstly, we propose that you act as you please, not as I require, as is stated in Appendix B, so we get rid of all of the ‘do as your husband says’ nonsense. Secondly, I propose to pay off any outstanding debts for other parties that you may have upon entering into the marriage.”</p><p>“What like paying off my student debt?” Wanda asked incredulously.</p><p>“Whatever you need, Wanda,” he replied, looking up from the pages. </p><p>“Absolutely not, I can’t owe you more money,” she replied bluntly. “It’s embarrassing enough that I have to marry you cause I can’t pay off my dad’s debt and you would offer to pay off mine? Not happening.” She folded her arms across her chest resolutely, and her tone must have said enough as he said nothing, though he looked ready to argue, and instead continued on. </p><p>“This isn’t in the contract but I felt I should tell you that my apartment has plenty of room as well as a guest bedroom which will be yours for the year. That leads into the changes to the passages about ‘living as husband and wife’,” he coughed awkwardly and flicked the page over. He read directly from his notes, “I, Victor Shade, pledge that during the year of Ms Maximoff’s debt repayment that I shall make no attempt to seduce or enter into sexual relations of any kind with her. Should I at any point break this rule, Ms Maximoff is free to exit the marriage, free of any debt as I will have acted against the terms of our agreement,” he paused slightly and rushed to say, “That’s just a draft but really something like that just so you-”</p><p>“You are promising not to do anything with me? When before the contract basically said I had to give myself over to you whenever you asked? You would promise the opposite to that?” Wanda said, shocked. His eyes looked equally shocked as they widened slightly. </p><p>“Wanda, I, uh, I want nothing more than for you to feel entirely comfortable and safe during this process. Paying for a parent’s crime is cruel enough as it is, without the added punishments that he had orchestrated for you. I will do everything within my power to make sure you pay as little as possible for this,” he said, looking directly into her eyes the entire time. He needed her to know he meant it so much, she could almost cry with relief from fear she didn’t know she was bottling up.<br/>
She reached over the table and took his hand, “Thank you… Mr Shade? Victor?” He hadn’t really introduced himself and it felt strange calling him both names. </p><p>“It’s Vision actually,” he replied, looking directly into her eyes. “At least everyone who knows me on a first name basis calls me Vision. It's just a nickname that really stuck.”</p><p>She smiled in response. “Ok then, Vision, thank you. I was nervous about this whole thing and you’ve been such a gentleman about it.” He gave her a small smile and his eyes brightened and her heart fluttered slightly. She decided to ignore it. </p><p>“Right, well, I shall have Sharon draw up the final version of the contract and get it to you to get signed,” Vision pulled his hand from hers, she hadn’t even realised that it had settled there, and returned the stack of paper to his bag. “Now even more admin I’m afraid. I shall leave this up to you, but I assume you would prefer to get started sooner rather than later?”</p><p> </p><p>Wanda blinked blankly back at him, unsure of what he was asking.</p><p>“What I am trying to ask is, um, when would you like to get married?” He almost grimaced as the word left his mouth. “The sooner it is set in stone the sooner it will be over. Do you need much time to get your affairs in order?”</p><p>The reality settled around Wanda very suddenly. She was actually going to marry this man. “No I don’t need much time at all I guess, a few days to pack my stuff up I guess. This is all just very, very sudden.” She laughed awkwardly and tucked a bit of hair behind her ear. </p><p>This time it was his hand covering hers for comfort. “Wanda, I am truly, deeply sorry that this has to happen. If there is anything else I can do, anything at all, do not hesitate to ask.”</p><p>She stared back into his eyes, at a loss for words. This man was unbelievable, the coming year seemed slightly less unbearable as she focused on the heat of his hand on hers and the open focus in his eyes. “You’ve been so thoughtful already, really, I can’t think of anything I need immediately. I suppose getting married next week is too soon for you?”</p><p>“Whenever you would like, I will be ready to go,” he replied and she wanted to kiss him, which was entirely inappropriate given the circumstances. He pulled out his phone and opened his calendar. “Wednesday next week I actually don’t have any meetings yet and I can tell my assistant to keep it clear. Will that suit you?”</p><p>“Wednesday next week is perfect,” Wanda said. Her life was so disorganised she rarely had set plans but she knew she didn’t have a shift at the bar then. </p><p>“Wednesday it is then,” he typed something quickly into his phone, a message to his assistant, she presumed. “I will have Sharon attend as a witness at the courthouse, if that’s alright, unless you have someone you would like there? We will need to have someone present and this isn’t an arrangement I’m keen to advertise.” </p><p>“No, no one of mine will be there either. Best to keep the particulars between the three of us,” Wanda replied. “Will I move in the same day?”<br/>
“If it suits you?” Vision replied, his voice tinged with hesitation. “Of course if you would prefer another day-” </p><p>“Same day is just fine Vision,” she replied with a smile, his eagerness to be accommodating was incredibly endearing. </p><p>“Well that seems to be everything desperate in order,” he said with a tone of finality. She leaned over the table and took his phone from his hand. </p><p>“Everything apart from you being able to contact me. I don’t like the idea of my husband-to-be communicating with me through another woman,” she said as she set up her contact as simply ‘Wanda M’. </p><p>“Yes, well, I’m sure Sharon is keen to be free of the whole ordeal as well, it was hardly pleasant for her to come to me with the discovery. It was lucky it was her though and she came straight to me without sharing it,” Vision replied as she handed his phone back to him. “Since we’re all sorted here, I won’t keep you here any longer.” He pocketed his phone and looked at her. She took in his features again, blonde hair falling forwards into those eyes, sharp cheekbones. A face she would enjoy looking at for the coming year.</p><p>“Yes, I better get going,” she said. In truth, Wanda had nowhere to be, but she didn’t want to keep him here when he was clearly a busy man and he had been so accommodating. And she didn’t want to keep staring into his eyes across the table. And thinking about other situations where he might stare intensely into her eyes. Definitely better to head home. </p><p>Vision stood and went to extend his hand to her before retracting it with a slight blush on his cheeks. “It feels rather formal to shake hands to say goodbye to my fiance, it’s a force of habit I’m afraid,” he said bashfully. </p><p>Wanda felt brave. “How about a quick hug?” She suggested and watched his body become rigid with nerves, so she acted for them and gave him a quick side hug, trying very hard to not inhale too deeply. “Until our wedding then.” </p><p>He gave her a slight smile as they broke apart and he shouldered his bag. “Until our wedding,” he echoed and as they headed out of the cafe he held the door open for her on his way out. There was a brief moment of awkwardness as they stood on the bustling sidewalk before he stuttered, “I’m going back to the office, do you need a lift home or would you perhaps like to walk some of the way?”</p><p>“I’m going in the other direction, thanks for the offer though,” Wanda replied. “See you Wednesday,” she said, unwinding her earphones and plugging them into her phone. </p><p>“Yes Wanda, I’ll see you then,” he said, watching the movements of her hands before fishing his phone out of his pocket, turning on his heel and heading off down the street with his phone to his ear. </p><p>Wanda watched his tall figure meld into the busy street and wondered briefly who he was phoning. She shook her head slightly and headed to the nearest subway station. She spent her entire train ride home thinking about Vision’s voice, accent, eyes, manners and how she ought to find not one of those things remotely attractive. This was supposed to be a bad experience, she had to keep reminding herself. But as she climbed the stairs to her little apartment she couldn’t help but think how very attractive the prospect of being Vision’s wife was beginning to seem.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Vision and Wanda get married and move in together- at record speed.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello hello! Here is chapter two, it ended up being really long I'm sorry if its tedious at points! Thank you to everyone who commented/left kudos on the first chapter, every bit of support really motivates me so thank you so much &lt;3 I hope y'all enjoy this one! Also last WV episode this week I'm :(</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Wednesday arrived more quickly than Vision had anticipated. September wasn’t exactly a busy time of year for the company and yet he still hadn’t expected the day of his wedding to come about with so little time to prepare. Sharon had booked them in at the courthouse for 2:30pm and he was meeting Wanda there. Wanda. </p><p>Sharon had put together a profile about Wanda before their meeting last week, to prepare Vision for their first encounter, but Vision had still been taken aback by how beautiful she had been in person. She seemed genuine and honest and was clearly willing to tell him how she felt about things, a bluntness that he found particularly attractive. Not that what he found attractive mattered, since their marriage was to be a loveless one, as it should be. He did not regret any of the changes he had made to the contract, he was only sorry he couldn’t do more to help Wanda out. He had left their first meeting feeling somewhat optimistic, he felt there was a potential for them to get along well, perhaps to even form a friendship, even if it would never progress to anything else. Meeting her had relieved some degree of tension, especially since he was inviting a stranger into his home to live for a full year, it was good to know that the stranger was at least bearable. And Wanda seemed much more than bearable. </p><p>Vision felt silly now, stood in the private bathroom that adjoined his office, dressed slightly smarter than usual and staring at his reflection in the mirror. He had struggled to decide which suit to wear today; what do you wear to marry someone you met a week ago because of a contract created by two men who were now dead? He had settled on formal but not black-tie, instead opting for a navy suit with a discreet check pattern, white shirt and lavender tie to match. Staring in the mirror now, he felt equally over and underdressed. He and Wanda had established an easy rapport over text, plans for a moving company to move the few boxes she had to his this afternoon, his address so she could contact her bank to inform them of her move and other boring admin but they had both avoided bringing up today at great length, discussing nothing beyond date and time. He fastened the button of his suit and sighed, making eye contact with his reflection,</p><p>“This will have to do,” he muttered to himself and headed out of his office. Sharon was also meeting him there, so he had the solo cab ride to the courthouse to get even more nervous. Vision hoped that Wanda was feeling ok, knowing that she must be finding the whole experience even more unnerving than he was. As usual, Vision had left too early and he found himself standing alone on the sidewalk after paying the cab driver, twenty minutes early for his wedding. He smoothed the front of his suit down, though it was pristine, and turned to wait for Wanda and Sharon to arrive on the steps leading up into the courthouse. He turned around to mount the steps and found himself looking straight at Wanda, who was sitting on the steps watching him with a slight smile on her face. </p><p>“You look fine, stop fussing,” she said with a proper smile now and stood up, echoing his movements by smoothing her skirt down. She was wearing a green satin shirt dress and black boots and she looked fantastic. Vision stood on the step below her, meaning they were at eye level now. </p><p>“It seems we both anticipated bad traffic that never came,” he said, trying very hard to stare in a way that wasn’t filled with appreciation for the way she looked. Maintaining a neutral expression was a bit of a challenge. </p><p>“Oh I’m just so excited to get married you know, couldn’t keep waiting about at my apartment all day, I just had to get here,” Wanda said, her tone teasing.</p><p>Vision gave her a small smile in response. “You have everything in your apartment sorted then? Do you need time to go back after?” </p><p>“No, I’m sorted I think,” she replied. “It will be weird, moving to a new part of town. I’ve been there for four years now.”</p><p>“Will you miss it?” Vision asked softly, his heart twisting at the thought he was ripping her from a world she loved. </p><p>“Not really. They’ve hardly been joy filled years. Maybe a new place is what I need to get my life sorted,” Wanda said, her tone giving nothing away. She seemed to sense some of his apprehension as she placed a gentle hand on his arm, “Stop worrying about me, we will get through this today and for the next year. It’ll be over before we know it.”</p><p>Vision smiled down at her and opened his mouth to reply but Sharon appeared at that moment. </p><p>“Good afternoon, sir, and nice to see you again Ms Maximoff,” Sharon said politely. Wanda’s hand fell from Vision’s arm and he could feel the ghost of where it had been once it was gone. </p><p>“Yeah nice to see you again, Ms Carter. And just Wanda is fine,” she said. </p><p>“Then just Sharon will be fine with me. I imagine we will be seeing more of each other during this, what shall we call it… During this process the two of you are going through,” Sharon replied. She checked the time on her watch, “We’re slightly early but shall we head in? No point standing out here even though the sun is out.” It was a spectacular early autumn day, the exact kind of weather you would want for a wedding. Instead it was being wasted on Vision and Wanda’s false marriage instead. </p><p>Their little group headed wordlessly up the stairs into the building, which had high vaulted ceilings, a marked sign of its age. There was clear signposting at reception, but Sharon was never anything but thorough as she double checked with the receptionist where they were to go. </p><p>“Good afternoon. Could you point us in the direction of marriage licensing?” She asked.<br/>
The receptionist looked up disinterestedly, chewing gum absentmindedly before her delayed response. “Directly ahead, then left. Follow the signs.” The last bit was added with a spike in her tone, suggesting that Sharon had disrupted her from something far more interesting on her computer screen. She regarded Wanda and Vision, seemingly only just realising they were there, and ran her eyes thoroughly over Vision’s frame, making him recoil slightly. The girl then winked at him before saying, “I see why you’d marry him”, which was aimed in Wanda’s direction. </p><p>Sharon had already moved on to the hallway ahead but Vision caught Wanda’s quick glare at the girl behind the desk as they followed in Sharon’s footsteps. They met Sharon at the end of a short queue leading up to another desk. </p><p>“So you basically just have to sign a bunch of forms today,” Sharon said looking between the two of them. “Plus the actual ceremony part. It shouldn’t take too long, I don’t think.”</p><p>“Thank you Sharon, you’ve been a wonderful help this past week,” Vision said, trying to distract himself from the particulars of a marriage ceremony and how unfair it was that they were having to do this. </p><p>“It’s my job, Mr Shade,” Sharon said. Though she added after, with a sympathetic smile, “I am more than happy to make this as smooth a process as possible for you both. After all, I read the contract in full, I know what you’re signing yourselves up for.” </p><p>That didn’t seem to require a response, so they fell into an awkward silence. Sharon tapped away on her phone, Wanda was staring directly at the tiled ground. Vision looked around them, at the couple’s in front of them in the line. They were all holding hands or had arms slung around waists or shoulders and looked into each other's eyes with the giddy reverence of newlywed love. Wanda, Sharon and him seemed frightfully out of place amongst so much unbridled love and joy. He felt the odd urge to hold Wanda’s hand, even just for comfort in such a bizarre experience, but he thought the better of it. Better not to start the marriage off with falsehoods like that. They would never have any sort of physical closeness. </p><p>The line moved forward slowly, though they were early, so had no reason to be impatient. When they were second from the front Vision said to Sharon, “I feel I should do the talking at the desk. It will probably seem odd if our witness is talking on our behalf, as much as I know you would be happy to do it Sharon.” </p><p>Sharon looked up from whatever she was doing on her phone, “Of course sir, whatever you think is best.”</p><p>“And perhaps keep the sir’s to a minimum. In fact, better that you call me Vision for the duration of the process,” Sharon started to protest but he cut her off. “I know it's not as formal as you would like to keep it Sharon but I am asking you to sacrifice your professionalism for fifteen minutes, if you are able.” </p><p>“Alright sir, I mean, alright Vision,” she replied, clearly uncomfortable with having to refer to her boss by his first name. If Vision had his own way, he would be on a first name basis with everyone who worked around him, however it would be viewed as unprofessional by the board so he had to endure it. </p><p>Sharon returned to her phone as Wanda moved closer to Vision. “We never talked about getting rings,” she said quietly, looking up at him. “I just realised everyone else has rings.” </p><p>Vision looked down at her. “Well, I did think about it but I thought, well, you probably don’t want to advertise this and a ring would undoubtedly cause questions for you? I thought it would be easier for us to not worry about rings.”</p><p>Wanda looked up at him then, a strange sort of expression on her face. “Yes, definitely better to not advertise it, you’re right.”</p><p>The couple in front of them finished up at the desk and were met by one of the registrars, then led away to a room to complete the ceremony that Wanda and Vision were about to undertake. The man at the desk looked up to call them forward. Wanda and Vision approached the desk directly, whilst Sharon hung back.</p><p>“Victor Shade and Wanda Maximoff, for our 2:30pm appointment please,” Vision said. </p><p>The man smiled at them. “Alright, Mr Shade and Miss Maximoff, how are you both this afternoon? Excited to make it official, I hope?”</p><p>Vision just smiled as enthusiastically as he could in response. </p><p>The man passed a clipboard with some forms over the desk. “So you’ll both see the highlighted passages requiring your signatures, then your witness needs to sign at two different points as well. Please just ask if you have any issues, though it is fairly clear. I’m sure you’ll just want to get through this part to get to the good bit!” He was so earnest that Vision gave him a genuine smile as he produced a pen from inside his jacket and Wanda stood at his shoulder to read through the marriage license. It wasn’t particularly interesting, just passages about the commitments of marriage and their legal rights as a married couple. They signed where they were required to, Sharon adding her name as required, before passing the form back over to the attendant. </p><p>“That’s you two sorted then, a registrar will be out any minute now to get you through the ceremony!” He said, placing the license in a brown envelope and tucking it into a filing cabinet beside his desk. “Can I just say, forgive me if it’s overstepping, but I see a lot of couples in here, but you two do look wonderful together.” Vision felt a flush creep over his cheeks as he looked at Wanda, who was looking back at him with a soft smile. </p><p>“Thank you for saying so,” Wanda replied softly, though she never looked at the man behind the desk. They looked at each other like that for a prolonged moment, until it was broken by their registrar appearing at the desk to whisk them to another room, where they were to be married in earnest. The reality must have overcome Wanda as she grabbed Vision’s hand as they followed the man down the hall. Vision gave her hand a little squeeze that he hoped would be reassuring and she tightened her grip in response.</p><p>The registrar let them into a little room and closed the door behind them. Sharon registered Vision and Wanda’s joined hands but, ever the professional, didn’t say a word about it, though Vision knew it probably looked odd, all things considered. </p><p>The whole process was so overwhelming, he paid very little attention to what the registrar was saying which was very unlike him, he made such a habit of being attentive. It wasn’t until he realised he had been asked a question when Vision realised he was being spoken to. Luckily, Wanda had been listening. </p><p>“No, we don’t have our own vows. The pre-written ones are just fine,” she said, squeezing his hand again. “And no rings either. Just us.”</p><p>“Right, well, if you wouldn’t mind turning to face one another and repeat after me, Mr Shade, you can speak first,” the registrar said, opening a large leather bound book to read from. Vision turned to face Wanda and they joined hands almost instinctively between each other and locked eyes with an intensity that made Vision want to step back slightly. He stayed in place though as the registrar began, “I, Victor Shade, take you, Wanda Marya Maximoff, as my wedded wife.” </p><p>Vision repeated his words perfectly though they sounded much more dramatic leaving his own mouth. He did the full script from film and TV, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, until it was Wanda’s turn to do the same. Not once did either of them break eye contact. </p><p>After Wanda had completed her vows the registrar closed his book with a smile. “And with the vows completed, it brings me great pleasure to declare you as husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.” </p><p>Vision’s heart stuttered at that instruction and immediately chastised himself for not discussing this whole thing with Wanda before right now? His mind went into a hyper-speed spiral, what if she didn’t want to kiss him? He didn’t want to make her uncomfortable, not so early on. He didn’t get any more time to think though as Wanda slid her hand to the back of his neck and pulled him down to meet her lips in a kiss. He didn’t remember thinking about returning it, kissing back just felt like the most natural movement in the world, until she pulled away and dropped her eyes immediately from his face. </p><p>He thought he could feel a flush in his face, which he hoped he was just imagining. The registrar dismissed them with another smile, “Mr and Mrs Shade, I wish you both happiness and success in your marriage, now get out there and enjoy the new world.” </p><p>“Thank you,” Vision said and Sharon said goodbye to him as well as the trio retraced their steps. Sharon was keen to get back to RedTech’s building to clean up the paperwork for this and basically rushed from the building as Vision and Wanda headed wordlessly out of the building. She hadn’t looked at him since they kissed and Vision’s mind settled on the issue quickly. It had been part of the ceremony, nothing more, he would not let it affect the rest of their day. </p><p>“Shall I hail us a cab?” He said as they reached the stairs leading down to the sidewalk.<br/>
“Go for it,” Wanda said, still not looking at him. </p><p>Vision hailed a cab quickly and after he told the driver his address, the cab fell into complete silence other than the quiet crackle of the taxi radio. All Vision could think about was Wanda’s hand resting on the seat between the two of them and how he longed to hold it, to let her know that he wouldn’t let this year be anything other than good. </p><p>******</p><p>Wanda didn’t know what she had expected from Vision’s apartment, considering he was the CEO of a multi-billion dollar company, but she was still awed by how beautiful his home was. Well, her home now or for the next year at least. He lived on the top floor and though the apartment was clearly expensive, he didn’t seem to be extravagant. </p><p>He took her on a quick tour, around the open planned living room and kitchen where the walls were decorated mainly by bookshelves that were absolutely full to the brim, bordering on overflowing. </p><p>“So the bathroom is through there and opposite is my office, which you can obviously use as well,” Vision said. He had taken off his suit jacket, so now he was just in a shirt and tie and Wanda was trying very hard to not stare at the broad outline of his shoulders as she followed him through the apartment. They reached two doors that were directly opposite each other. He opened the one to his left first and said, “This is my room, I have my own bathroom so the other one will more or less be your own.” She looked around the large room, taking in the neatly made bed, the floor to ceiling window that showed the city around them, the minimalist art on the walls. There were three books stacked on the bedside table and what looked like a glasses case, though she’d never seen him wearing any. </p><p>“It’s so nice, Vision,” she said and he seemed to take that as a signal to move on as he slid past her through the doorway, close enough that she could smell his cologne, and opened the door to the room opposite. </p><p>“This is you here. The room isn’t quite as big, but I hope you’ll find it comfortable enough,” she brushed past him this time and went into the room. It must have been triple the size of the one in her own apartment and was as neatly decorated as Vision’s, though it lacked the little personal things that had been scattered around his room. </p><p>She went in and sat on the edge of the bed, bouncing slightly, running her hands over the sheets. She looked around the room with a feeling of satisfaction and then looked over to him, waiting nervously in the doorway awaiting her response. “It’s perfect Vision. It’s much nicer than anywhere I’ve lived before. I’m not sure that I fit in here though, it’s maybe a bit too fancy,” she joked, trying to ease some of the tension between them. He looked at her, a flicker of intensity crossing his face before he relaxed his shoulders a bit.</p><p>“I’m glad you like it. Please feel free to change whatever you would like, it is your space,” he replied. They fell into another one of those charged silences until Vision finally broke eye contact. “Well the removal company isn’t due here for another half hour so I’m just going to get changed out of these clothes. Please, please make yourself at home,” Vision said and with that he left, crossing the hallway and closing the door to his room behind him resolutely.<br/>
Wanda fell back onto the bed and let out a sigh. She thought about her room for a second before her mind moved to thinking about Vision. He was so… So unbelievable. He was gentle and considerate and kind and soft. Not to mention unbelievably hot. She hadn’t been able to look at him after they’d kissed because as soon as their lips had met she had wanted to do a whole lot more than just kiss him. It had taken a cab ride halfway across Manhattan to his apartment for her heart rate to slow down and her palms to stop sweating. And what made it all worse was that he was now unattainable. Unless he was a shockingly good actor, Vision seemed to be the most decent man on earth; he had created that whole clause of their contract where he promised to not lay a finger on her, ever. At the time, she had thought that was a wonderfully considerate action but now she wished that he would think about touching her in lots of different ways. He hadn’t even seemed to want to kiss her during their wedding, he was so ridiculously chivalrous. But he held onto your hand, her brain provided stubbornly, as if him reciprocating hand holding that she had initiated meant anything. She ran her hands over her face in frustration. Hopefully his schedule would be exceptionally busy and it would be no different than having a roommate that worked all the time- they would see each other only in passing or for discussions about whose turn it was to pay for milk. Hopefully this was only a crush. She didn’t know him well enough for it to be anything else. Not yet at least. She lay there staring at the ceiling willing her inappropriate thoughts about her new roommate away. It didn’t seem like it was working, so she had to do something to force her mind elsewhere. </p><p>None of her things were here yet so she couldn’t follow Vision’s example and get changed into something better for moving boxes into the apartment but all she could do was take off her boots to give her some relief from the high heels. She took this opportunity to wander around the apartment again, examining it in closer detail. The bathroom was huge and modern and Vision’s office was full of natural light, and was stuffed with more books as if those in the rest of the apartment weren’t enough, she would have to borrow some over the year, she was always saying that she needed to read more. The kitchen was neat and tidy, with dark grey and granite countertops though the fridge was barely stocked, she wondered if he cooked often. There was a dining table with four chairs in the kitchen, an old newspaper lay open on the table, clearly forgotten about. The living room was as modern as the rest of the apartment but seemed comfortable enough, with throws (that looked handmade) covering the sofas and a coffee table that was similarly covered in books. It seemed that Vision’s idea of decor was limited to novels and nothing else. She wasn’t sure how she had missed the door leading out to the balcony when Vision had shown her around but she headed over to the glass door now. She stepped out onto the balcony that wrapped round the side of the building and looked out over the view of the noisy city below. Vision had created a little urban garden out here and she stood in the sun for a moment, trying to breathe the nerves of the day out of her system. The sun was beginning to dip in the sky, washing the grey city in soft yellow-orange light and, not for the first time that day, she felt that this whole process might not be as bad as she had feared and she closed her eyes to revel in the peace. Vision coughed quietly behind her, startling her eyes open as she turned to face him. </p><p>He had showered, that was the first detail she noticed, his hair was wet though still parted neatly and falling into his face. He had changed into a soft looking blue sweater and grey sweatpants, though he still somehow looked like himself- smart and put together. </p><p>“The removal company has just texted me, they’re almost here, we should go down to the lobby to meet them,” he said. Vision had insisted on paying for it, since she was moving in with him and having to move her things, he had said it was only fair that he paid for the hassle. She hadn’t felt like arguing with him over text. </p><p>“I’ll go put my shoes on,” she said with a smile and headed through to her room to retrieve her boots. </p><p>She returned to the living room to find him waiting for her. “Shall we?” She said. </p><p>“Let’s do it,” he replied with a smile and held the front door open for her as they headed down the corridor together and got into the lift. There was a minute of companionable silence before Vision spoke. </p><p>“The balcony is my favourite part of the whole apartment. It’s the reason why I chose it. You’ve probably noticed that I don’t mind so much about the inside of the apartment but I like to sit out there,” he said, there was hesitation in his voice, his tone verging on embarrassment. </p><p>“It’s a beautiful little space,” she said, smiling at him and he gave her a small smile back. She couldn’t resist teasing, “Let me guess, you go out there to read?”</p><p>He actually chuckled in response and her heart fluttered. “Yes I do actually. Feel free to read any of the books, I’m afraid I have all of this money that I inherited and the only thing I can find to spend it on is books.” </p><p>“You’ll need to give me some recommendations, I haven’t read properly in a while,” Wanda replied. </p><p>“It would be my pleasure,” Vision said and the elevator dinged open, pulling his eyes from hers as he headed out into the lobby to meet the two men from the removal company. She watched him interact with them, polite and gracious as usual, before she moved in to help. </p><p>“Hi I’m Wanda,” she said offering a hand to the two men. “I’m Vision’s uh, roommate.” She and Vision shared a knowing smile, as if their marriage was some secret that only they got to know about. “Let’s get me moved in!” </p><p>It didn’t take long, most of what Wanda had brought was clothes and they were done more quickly than she had imagined. Vision tipped the two men generously and it was just them again. </p><p>“I’ve got to prepare for a meeting I have tomorrow morning, so I’m afraid you won’t be seeing much of me this evening,” Vision said. </p><p>“No worries, it’ll take me some time to get my clothes organised properly,” she replied. </p><p>“My offer for food is pitiful tonight unfortunately, there are some leftovers in the fridge though. Or we could order in?” He offered.</p><p>“Ordering in sounds great,” Wanda replied, she hadn’t even realised how hungry she was. </p><p>“Ok great, how about you just come and tell me once you’ve sorted your clothes and we can order in when you’re done? That way I won’t work too late,” Vision said. He then added, “Perhaps it would be worth taking some time this evening to draw up a grocery list and I could go shopping on my way home tomorrow?”</p><p>“How about we go together?” She offered instead. </p><p>Vision seemed surprised by the offer. “Together then. Tomorrow. Let’s get started on our work, the sooner we start the sooner we eat.” He gave her a smile and they parted ways, him off to his office, her to her bedroom. She looked at the boxes stacked neatly on the floor and thought about Vision sitting at work in the other room. She put her hands on her hips, “Unpacking boxes then food. What better way is there to spend an evening with your husband from your arranged marriage?”</p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Wanda goes to work, then she and Vision take a trip to the grocery store together.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello again! I'm still trying to recover from the Wandavision finale, how is everyone else holding up? I really don't know what I'm going to do without getting to see these two together every week :( Thank you to everyone who left love on the last chapter I really appreciate it so much and I hope this chapter gives you a little bit of joy &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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  <span>The first three weeks of Wanda and Vision’s marriage were uneventful, much to Wanda’s annoyance. They had settled into a routine that she had thought she wanted- Vision worked 9-5 Monday through Friday, whilst Wanda did random shift work four times a week at the bar, so she wasn’t at home when he was for over half of the week. This meant that they really only saw each other in passing and didn’t spend any real time together. Even on the weekends, when Vision wasn’t at work, he kept to his office and out of Wanda’s way. She knew he was used to living alone, but the confinement to his office and bedroom were bordering on reclusive. They hadn’t spent any real time together since the second day of their married life, when they had gone grocery shopping together. They had gone out later in the evening after Vision was done at work and had taken their time going round the store, chatting about their lives whilst getting enough food to fill every shelf of the fridge and every cupboard. Vision had talked about the company, how much he hated management and longed to be back doing product design full time. She had spoken about some of her more difficult regulars at the bar and how she painted in her free time since she had an art degree that she wasn’t really using. They hadn’t touched on anything too personal, but he had been so easy to talk to and was really funny, in his charming sort of awkward way. He had listened to everything she said with such genuine interest, asking her about art and her degree and the world in general. Then they had returned home and whatever spell had come over Vision was broken. He immediately withdrew from her and they hadn’t had a conversation that lasted longer than five minutes in days. He cooked, but he didn’t eat with her. He read on the balcony but she didn’t want to bother him, not when he had told her how much he valued that space. She wanted to respect his boundaries, she really did, but there now seemed to be this build up of tension between them; that they couldn’t actually talk to each other without overstepping some unspoken line. </span>
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  <span>It didn’t help that she hadn’t told any of her friends about the marriage yet, so she had no one to vent to. She wanted to tell them, she really did, but she had no idea how to explain to Darcy and Monica that she had entered almost willingly into an arranged marriage. She knew how they would react- Darcy would threaten to go on a rampage and destroy Vision and RedTech and everyone involved (but then she would settle down and try to help), whereas Monica would be annoyed that she didn’t mention it earlier- she would be convinced that they could have worked a way out of it for Wanda. It was easier to keep from Monica, she didn’t see her as often, but since she and Darcy worked at the bar together it was getting harder and harder to keep her mouth shut. Especially since Wanda’s route home had changed significantly, so she was either having to get away earlier than Darcy so she wouldn’t suggest going with her or hang about till after Darcy’s shift had ended then leaving after. </span>
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  <span>She thought about different ways to tell them as she cleaned glasses (perhaps with more vigour than was required) behind the bar. It was a little after midnight, they had just closed up as the last stragglers had headed out to other late night spots in the city. This was their last early close Saturday before the October through New Years season at the bar started; after which they would be lucky to close up before 2am on the weekends up until January 1st. Darcy had been locking the front doors behind the last customers and Wanda was taking her time with the last cleaning, even though she was dying to get home and sleep. Darcy reappeared at the bar with her coat and handbag and dumped Wanda’s stuff on the bar too. </span>
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  <span>“Are you really gonna deep clean every single glass?” She asked, looking at Wanda. </span>
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  <span>“It’s good to be thorough. I don’t want to annoy Jimmy,” Wanda replied. It wasn’t exactly a lie. Their manager Jimmy was normally great but he hated coming in to a messy bar on opening, especially if the closers from the night before weren’t on again. </span>
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  <span>“Okay, well, it’s late and I do not fear Jimmy’s anger so I’m gonna head out. I’ll see you next week for girl’s night, yeah?” Darcy asked, shrugging on her coat whilst doing so. </span>
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  <span>“Yeah, I’ll be there,” Wanda smiled as her friend headed off. She gave Darcy a five minute head start, to be sure she hadn’t forgotten anything, before she placed the mostly-dried off glasses behind the bar and pulled on her coat as well. She headed out the back door, collar pulled up to the autumn chill and turned left out of the staff exit, which locked automatically behind her. She put her head down against the cold wind and almost immediately bumped into someone. </span>
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  <span>“Oh! Sorry! I-” she started to apologise before she saw it was Darcy she had walked into.</span>
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  <span>“I knew it!” Darcy exclaimed. “You’ve been avoiding leaving with me for a few weeks now! Did you move in secret or something?”</span>
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  <span>Wanda felt caught in her lies. But then the tension built up over the last month of her life bubbled up and she told Darcy absolutely everything, speaking at a million miles an hour in the middle of the street in the dark. Darcy listened, wide-eyed for most of it, but managed to hold her tongue.</span>
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  <span>When Wanda eventually paused for breath, having brought Darcy up to date, Darcy said, “So let me get this straight. A month ago some super rich tech wizard dude comes to tell you that your dad sold you into an arranged marriage and now you live in his apartment? And you want him to fuck you so badly but he promised he wouldn’t? That’s what’s going on?”</span>
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  <span>Wanda just nodded, she knew that it sounded ridiculous. </span>
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  <span>Darcy looked serious for a moment before she cracked a smile. “God I wish a hot billionaire would appear out of nowhere and offer to marry me. Some people get all the luck. Well, apart from the no-sex marriage thing. That sucks for you.” </span>
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  <span>“Yeah it does suck,” said Wanda, relieved that Darcy finally knew. “I just don’t know what to do now, you know? Obviously I don’t want to put him in an awkward position but I can’t keep living in the same apartment pretending like the other person doesn’t exist you know?”</span>
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<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Why don’t you just tell him that?” Darcy said simply. Wanda wished she’d thought of that earlier. “I love you, but we’re freezing our asses off in the dead of night. Get home safe and we can talk tomorrow. Also, I expect you to repeat this in full for Monica on girl’s night, agreed?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Agreed,” Wanda said, tucking her hands into her pockets as her nerves had subsided and suddenly she could really feel the cold again. “Goodnight, Darcy,” she said, giving her friend a quick hug. “I’ll speak to you in the morning.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Goodnight, and remember just be straight with him, he sounds like a reasonable enough dude, all things considered,” Darcy replied. With that, they went their separate ways. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Wanda used the subway journey home to rehearse in her head what she would say to Vision in the morning. She had never seen him up and about the apartment after midnight when she got home, though she could often see light underneath his bedroom door. That was why when she pushed the front door open, she had not expected to see Vision sitting on the back of the sofa, looking extremely nervous. He looked up when she came in, and a look of relief washed over him as he rushed forward to meet her. He was wearing his glasses, she’d never seen him in them before. And now she never wanted to see him without them. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Wanda, thank goodness, I was so worried, where were you?” He asked hurriedly, standing close to her, staring at her with a look of genuine concern on his face as she locked the door behind her. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Darcy and I just had a quick catch up at the end of shift,” she replied slightly puzzled. “Why were you worried?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His face flushed slightly before he replied and he readjusted his glasses on his face, “Well, you see, you normally get back around half past midnight on the nights you’re closing at the bar and it’s almost 1am and I was worried that perhaps something had happened to you.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She couldn’t contain her smile as warmth spread through her chest at hearing his concern. She placed a hand on the side of his arm and rubbed it gently, in a way she hoped would be reassuring. “No need to worry about me, Vision. I’m a grown up. I do appreciate your concern though. The subway treated me just fine.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well I wanted to talk to you about that actually,” he said, standing a little bit straighter. “I know it would be an extra expense so of course you might not want to and it really just would be to settle my nerves so it you would be well within your right to-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Vision, please, what is it?” She interrupted his nervous babble with another gentle smile. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He looked into her eyes again, that intense blue now locked behind those glasses. She wanted to take him right there. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Not now, please, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she thought, trying to shake the image of undressing him out of her head. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Vision took a deep breath then said, “On the nights you’re working late, it would mean a great deal to me if you would get a taxi home. I know it's more expensive, I will pay for it for you and I know you’re more than capable of taking care of yourself but I… Well I will just worry and I can’t help it.” He finished with a blush colouring his cheeks, now making less consistent eye contact out of embarrassment. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Normally, Wanda would abhor taking money off of someone else like that, but she hated to think of him sat up in a fit of nerves every time she had a closing shift, so she replied, “If it would make you feel more comfortable then of course I will do it. And you can pay for it, but on one condition only.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh?” Vision said. “What’s that?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“The way we’ve been these past few weeks, dancing around each other, staying out of each other's way, it needs to stop. I don’t like having a roommate who I don’t talk to. We both cook but we’re only cooking for one when we could be cooking for two, which everyone knows is easier,” Wanda said, the nerves she had before leaving her body as she echoed the sincerity with which he had just addressed her. “I’m not asking for us to be joined at the hip but can we stop pretending like the other person doesn’t exist?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I thought that it would be better for you if you didn’t have to spend time with me. I have already imposed so much of my life on you, I would hate to take your time as well as everything else,” Vision replied quietly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>This time Wanda felt truly bold and took his hands in hers. He looked down at their joined hands in surprise , then back up to her eyes again. “Vision,” she said. “I want to spend time with you. Believe me, I wouldn’t offer my time if I didn’t want to give it. So can we do this? Stop ignoring each other and you can start paying my cab fares home? A fair trade?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He gave her a slight smile and the expression on his face flooded her with something like fondness for him which was totally inappropriate and needed to be ignored. “Sounds like a very fair trade,” Vision replied quietly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She felt it then, the urge to lean in and kiss him. God it would be so easy with them already standing so close to each other. But just as she was about to make her move, Vision stepped back slightly. “It’s late now Wanda, we should go to bed. You worked over nine hours today, you need your rest.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Disappointed but unbelievably endeared by the level of care he was showing her, Wanda nodded, “You’re probably right.” They headed along the hallway together and paused outside their respective rooms. “See you in the morning, roommate,” she said, more softly than she had intended. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His eyes flickered over her face, before he replied, “Goodnight, Wanda.” His voice was perhaps even softer than hers and her name coming from his voice sounded so perfect, it echoed around her head as she went into her room, stripped and climbed into bed. She was so tired that she didn’t even feel guilt as she imagined Vision coming through to join her as she fell into blissful sleep.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>*****</b>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wanda’s request that they spent more time together was simultaneously the best and worst thing that had ever happened to Vision. On the one hand, he felt he had entered into a state of domestic bliss that he absolutely did not deserve. They still didn’t really see each other in the mornings, he normally left around 8am and Wanda had rarely surfaced at that time. But on Wanda’s days off, he would come home in the evening and she would be sat on her laptop in front of the TV or maybe baking in the kitchen. Instead of going straight to get changed out of his suit straight away like he used to, he would now sit in the living room or at the kitchen table and listen to her talk through her day or her shift the night before and he would fill her in about his day at work. He was already getting to know the people who were from Wanda’s real life (he considered himself very much a part of a fake one), her friends Monica and Darcy, her coworkers, the regular customers and the ones she wished weren’t quite as regular. She would listen just as attentively to him as he spoke about the more interesting meetings with Tony and Bruce or complain about lengthy board meetings about the financial pathway of the company. One evening he came in and she wasn’t in either of her two usual spots and he headed further into their apartment to find the office door stood open. Vision entered the office to find Wanda standing in front of some of his bookshelves, her brow furrowed in thought before she noticed him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re home, great! I have decided it is time to start reading,” she said. “But honestly, how do I pick from all of this? You have a full-scale library stuffed into this room alone, not to mention the other hundreds of books squeezed into the rest of the apartment.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Vision had smiled, he was growing used to her little teases. “Well, how about I go and get changed, then I will come and curate a reading list that I think you will enjoy?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wanda had beamed at him. “Perfect! I made cookies today. We can eat cookies and discuss literature like civilised people!” And that was exactly what they had done, for the entire evening. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>And that was why Vision was suffering. Wanda had been living with him almost six weeks now and every minute they spent together was wonderful- which was also terrible. They had established, in his mind, a tenuous friendship but he felt it was his responsibility to make sure he never grew too familiar with her, though she didn’t exactly keep her distance. There were those odd moments where they would get awfully close to something happening between them but then the contract he had signed would flash up in his mind, his promise to leave Wanda alone and he would immediately back off. She never acted as if there was anything wrong after he did this, so he assumed it was probably just his imagination anyway. On the nights when Wanda was working he was starting to find himself getting lonely when he had dinner, missing their little conversations about the food of their childhoods or their debates about which type of takeout was superior. He found himself sticking on the TV just for some noise whilst he ate and trying very hard not to check the time repeatedly, to count down the hours and minutes until Wanda returned home. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Despite these midweek challenges, the weekends were proving to be the real test of Vision’s staunch morality. He was normally up first, and it took everything in him not to cook breakfast for Wanda before she was even awake so he would confine himself to the balcony to put some distance between him and the kitchen. She would appear not too long after him with a sleepy smile and get herself a cup of coffee before she joined him on the balcony, where he would be working his way through a cup of tea and the weekend newspaper crossword puzzle. They had very quickly adopted this routine, where (unless the weather prevented them) they would both sit, still in pyjamas and robes, whilst Vision filled in the answers to the crossword and Wanda looked wordlessly out over the cityscape, watching the sun climb from behind the tall buildings that shaped the horizon. Occasionally Vision would ask her about one of the clues and she would help him figure it out, before they settled back into that companionable silence. Normally Wanda would break their little bubble first, once she had finished her black coffee she would head for a shower. Vision would soon follow suit and they would regroup around midday to head off for their weekly grocery shop and so a routine had formed. This Saturday was no different from the one previous to it as they headed around the grocery store together. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Vision pushed the cart as Wanda considered the fresh herb options. “I forgot to check if we have any basil,” she said. “You don’t have any on the balcony, do you?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No I don’t I’m afraid,” Vision replied. “Only the parsley and chives survived that night where I forgot to bring them in from the storm.” The night Wanda had arrived home late from the bar, Vision had been too distraught to remember to bring his herbs in out of the wind as he waited for her to get back. He had been heartbroken to lose them, he had loved tending to his little garden. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then we will get some basil. And maybe some lemongrass too,” Wanda said, plucking the two packets of fresh herbs from the shelf and throwing them into the cart. She looked down at her phone to check off the list they had written before they left that morning. “Alright, dried herbs and spices next. We need paprika.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Vision simply nodded in response as they moved on through the grocery store, winding through the mess of people to get to the correct aisle. “Do we need turmeric as well? I will need it for the curry tomorrow night.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Better to be safe than sorry,” Wanda said as they reached the aisle. They were discussing other curry options when Vision heard his name called out from somewhere behind him. He turned to see Tony coming down the aisle towards him, a smirk on his face that was immediately replaced by a look of confusion when he saw Wanda placing the two jars of spices in the cart. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Who’s this? You bring an assistant shopping with you now, huh? Power has changed you buddy,” Tony joked, though his face was still puzzled. He then said to Wanda, “Tony Stark, nice to meet you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wanda flashed Vision a brief glance of panic before she replied. Just last night Vision had been talking about needing to tell Tony and Bruce about his arrangement with Wanda and they had been brainstorming ways to bring it up together. “Hi I’m Wanda, Vision’s uh, friend.” She gave Tony an awkward smile as his eyes flickered between Wanda and Vision. She added on, in her normal teasing tone, “Friend but certainly not his assistant. Can you imagine working for him? He would try and do all the work himself; he's such a perfectionist!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tony didn’t know Wanda, so couldn’t detect the slight tension in her voice and so laughed in response. “Well I do work for him and let me tell you, the big guy has a huge problem with delegating. Can’t keep himself away from product development, can you Vision?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Vision forced a chuckle. “Yes I am quite smitten with your department, Tony.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tony looked between Wanda and Vision again, clearly not convinced by Wanda’s claim of friendship but then he heard his name being called from the other end of the aisle, saving them from further questioning. “Crap, that’ll be Pepper. She hates when I come to the store, I always find something or someone more interesting than the pasta options. I’ll see you at work on Monday, boss and Wanda, friend of Vision,” he threw another pointed look in Vision’s direction before finishing, “I’m sure we’ll meet again soon. Vision only has two other friends and one of them is me, I doubt he’ll be able to keep us apart for long.” He winked at Wanda before he hurried down the aisle after the sound of his wife’s voice. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Vision must have had a pained expression on his face after he left as Wanda said, “Oh come on it wasn’t that bad. It should make it easier to tell him now, he can at least put a face to my name when you’re explaining it.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>He looked down at her, then back in the direction Tony had headed. “It’s not that. I just feel like I’ve lied to him, you know? I should have told him right then and there, saved any risk of ill feeling later on.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Vision, I hardly think the spice section of the grocery store is the place to introduce your best friend to your wife from your arranged marriage,” Wanda said a bit too loudly, as a woman browsing opposite them threw them a strange look. Wanda’s eyes widened, then she said, “Anyway, we have a bunch of shopping still to get, shall we get going?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes let’s go, what next?” Vision said, glad to be moving on from where Tony had ambushed them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We need eggs and I was thinking about doing pancakes for a sort of brunch tomorrow?” She offered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pancakes sound great,” he replied with a smile. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>They managed to navigate the grocery store without any more interruptions from Vision’s coworkers and it wasn’t until they were packing the shopping away in the kitchen before Vision voiced something that had been on his mind for a few days. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wanda, I know this isn’t ever going to really feel like your home, but I would like you to treat it as such,” he said, somewhat nervously as he placed some satsumas into the fruit bowl. She looked over at him, a look somewhere between interest and concern on her face. “I’m conscious that, these past few weeks at least, you have spent time with your friends at their apartments. I want you to know that they are welcome here any time, I am more than happy to make myself scarce for a while if you are having friends round.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wanda put down the carton of eggs she was about to load into the fridge to face him properly. “Vision, you have to stop being so worried about how I view this place, how I view you. I know that this is my home for just now, you have done so much to make me comfortable and welcome,” she said, giving him a slight smile. “We normally take it in turn to host girls night, it's just luck that my turn hasn’t been since I moved in.” They never referred to the day they got married as a wedding day, always just the day Wanda moved in. “But don’t you worry, they will be here drinking wine two Thursdays from now and you will wish you had barred them from the apartment, or Darcy at least.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Vision glanced over at the calendar on the wall, “Two Thursdays from now is the fourth of November, perfect. I can work late that evening so you can have the apartment to yourself.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Vision, come on!” It was the first time he had ever heard her sounding frustrated at him. She got mad at people on the subway for being rude or worked up when she spoke about difficult customers but she had never directed that tone towards him, it startled him. “Look,” she said, crossing the kitchen to stand directly in front of him. “I’m going to say something here and you’re not going to want to hear it, but just listen. I actually </span>
  <em>
    <span>like</span>
  </em>
  <span> spending time with you and would be more than happy for you to meet my friends. Please, please stop trying to cut yourself from my life without even knowing how I feel. If you were a nuisance to me you would know, I don’t tend to stay around people if I don’t have to. I asked to spend more time with you remember? And we get along pretty well, or at least I think so. Don’t you think so?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>She looked at him expectantly. He blinked back at her, then replied, “Yes I do think we get along well but I just don’t-” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You aren’t forcing yourself onto me Vision, alright?” Her tone had softened again as she looked up at him. “We’re adults, we communicate if we don’t like something. If I think you’re overstepping, I will tell you, I promise. You have to trust me that I know what I’m doing.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Vision looked into her eyes. “Alright, I’m sorry for being such a pain about this. It’s just I already feel so much guilt about the whole thing I just… I don’t want to be the source of any further punishment for you, that’s all.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>She reached out and took his hand. The heat from her palm set his whole arm on fire, then his body, it was distracting. “I know we’ve not known each other very long, but living like this you get to know people quickly. And Vision, I don’t believe you are capable of making me suffer for this whole thing. You’re far too much of a gentleman for that.” There was the hint of a tease in her tone and that was enough to settle his nerves. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shall we pack the rest of the shopping away? The ice cream has probably melted into liquid form now,” Vision said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>She pulled back from him with bright eyes and a smile. “Yeah, let’s finish that then argue over what movie to watch tonight and then order pizza for dinner?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A perfect plan,” he replied, returning her smile as they worked to tidy up the space they shared. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Darcy and Monica meet Vision, then Vision and Wanda make some plans.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello again! This is the longest chapter yet and its verrrry dialogue heavy, prior warning given. Also!! Important formatting!! I have used a single asterisk (*) to notate a passage of time BUT NOT a pov shift, pov shifts are still *****. Uni has been hectic this week so I haven't had as much time to edit, please forgive the mistakes :) <br/>As ever thank you for all the love it really keeps me motivated! &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Though Hallowe’en fell on a Sunday, Jimmy expected the bar to be unbelievably busy the two days prior to it. It was the last weekend of October which meant he wanted all hands on deck. This meant Wanda had to do two long shifts in a row and she had to work the second one in her Hallowe’en costume which was hardly her ideal way of spending the holiday. As far as she knew, Vision had no plans for the evening, he didn’t really strike her as much of a Hallowe’en party guy. It was Saturday afternoon and she was getting changed into her costume before heading to work. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She hadn’t really seen much of Vision all day. She had been so exhausted from the shift the night before that he had offered to do the grocery shopping himself which she had been grateful for. He had brought her back a bagel and an iced coffee when he arrived home around midday, another example of him being unbelievably thoughtful. Every day she felt him growing more at ease with her, he had been bold enough this morning to knock on her bedroom door and wake her up to offer to shop alone, something which he probably wouldn’t have done a month ago. Darcy had reminded her last night that even platonic progress had to count as progress, though Wanda couldn’t stop thinking about how infuriating it was that he slept literally metres from her, just across the hall. What was stopping her from just going into his room at night when they said goodnight and seeing how he reacted? In all honesty, she was struggling to get a measure on how attracted he was to her, something that wasn’t usually an issue. Since she didn’t know for sure if he found her attractive, she was having to contain her lust for him as much as possible, which wasn’t easy when she saw him in all of his forms. He seemed to have no idea how good he looked, in his suits for work, his smart slacks and polo neck jumpers that he was partial to on the weekends, even his workout clothes that he wore to the gym in their apartment building. He looked fucking hot in everything, that was the problem. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She gave herself a once-over in the mirror, she knew she looked good. The costume was dumb but Darcy had been set on them doing a couples costume and Wanda hadn’t had the energy to argue with her about it and so had conceded to being the assistant to Darcy’s magician. Of course that meant Wanda was in a sparkly leotard and tights where Darcy would likely be in a full suit but she didn’t really mind, she didn’t get to dress like this often and she enjoyed it. She grabbed her handbag and long winter coat off of the end of her unmade bed before heading out down the hall. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Vision sat reading in the living room, cup of tea in one hand and his book in the other. He was wearing a black turtleneck today, a particularly fantasy-inducing look from Wanda’s perspective and it was even worse now as he was wearing his glasses. It would be so perfect to just screw work over and instead go and sit in his lap and see what happens. She sighed slightly at the thought, loudly enough that Vision looked up to see her coming down the hall. His blue eyes widened behind his glasses and he licked his lips which was-ok- interesting, to say the least. Wanda smiled at him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hallowe’en costume,” she offered as he continued to stare. Definitely attracted to her then. Good to know. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He seemed to shake himself out of it as he blinked repeatedly then said, “They make you work in your costumes? Do you choose your costume? Or does Jimmy request that you wear ridiculously flattering costumes?” The compliment seemed to have slipped out against his will as Vision’s cheeks flushed almost immediately after he spoke. “Wanda, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to-” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Stop apologising I know I look great,” Wanda teased, barely containing her joy at hearing the words leaving his mouth. “And no, Jimmy doesn’t tell us what to wear. Darcy is going as a magician and I’m her assistant.” She did a little twirl for good measure, making sure he got the full experience, and was slightly disappointed to see that he had managed to restrain himself again. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah well that explains it then,” Vision said, though his voice seemed lower than usual. “Would you feel safer getting a taxi to the bar? I’m happy to pay?” He laced the phrase with nonchalance but Wanda wasn’t falling for it. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You mean you would feel safer if I got a taxi to the bar?” She said as she pulled on her coat. “Don’t want me walking the streets looking like this, hmm? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His cheeks flushed again as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “No, well yes, but it's not that I don’t want you to go, I’m sure you can take care of yourself but you always complain about male customers harassing you and I thought perhaps avoiding public transport would mean you would be subject to less of that tonight.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s very considerate of you,” she said, though she was less than convinced by his tone. She looked over at him to find him staring, waiting for a response. “I’ll get a cab, if it’ll make you feel better.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For a moment Vision looked as if he was going to protest that but he shook his head slightly then answered, “Thank you, Wanda.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket to order her an Uber as she picked up her keys from the dish by the front door. “They’re five minutes away,” he said as she pulled on her coat and did up all of the buttons. She knew she looked good but he was right, it was very likely some dickhead on the train would’ve said something to her and she wasn’t in for an easy night at work, she had to deal with asshole men when she was dressed normally, let alone in her costume. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll just head down now and wait in the lobby,” Wanda said. “Can you text me the driver’s info? Just so I can be sure I’m getting in the right car.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course,” Vision said, quickly typing up the text before standing and joining her in the kitchen, where he filled the kettle and set it to boil. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It will probably be a super late finish tonight, so don’t wait up for me ok?” Wanda said as she watched him get his favourite mug out of the cupboard and place an Earl Grey tea bag in it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright, if you’re sure,” he said, turning to look at her stood at the front door. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was another of those moments that Wanda felt happening more and more often, where they felt like a domestic couple without being a couple. He stood there sort of awkwardly and she looked back at him. The most natural thing in the world would be to cross over to him, give him a quick kiss goodbye, then head off to work and think about Vision sat at home, jealous that Wanda would go out dressed like she was. But, as usual when these pockets of tension between them came up, they were interrupted by Vision’s phone buzzing on the counter, alerting them that Wanda’s driver was nearly there. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll see you in the morning,” she said, looking him over once more, her hand resting on the door handle. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Stay safe,” he said, giving her a small smile, which she returned before heading off out of the apartment. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The cab ride wasn’t quick, the city was busy given the weekend’s festivities. When they eventually reached her work, she thanked her driver and got out just as Darcy was arriving at the bar. She was dressed in full magician get up, top hat and black and white wand to finish off the look. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her eyes widened at Wanda climbing out of the Uber and she said, “What he pays for you to get to work now too? Are you sure this isn’t some sort of sugar daddy set up that you’re in and you’re lying to me to cover it up? Believe me, I wouldn’t judge you for it, though I would judge you even less if I knew what he looked like.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Wanda rolled her eyes slightly and responded, “No its not like that, you know that! Vision is just, well, he’s just very considerate that’s all.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Huh, I’m not buying it. No man is that pure, no man behaves like this without some other motive,” Darcy said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Vision isn’t like other men,” Wanda said softly and Darcy gave her an odd look. Darcy opened her mouth to say something but they entered the bar to find it already packed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jimmy was to their left, carrying a tray overrun with shots. “Glad you’re on time girls but can you get out here fast! Things are crazy already!” He disappeared into the crowd to deliver more drinks and Wanda and Darcy looked at each other. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s make some magic!” Darcy said with a flourish of her wand. Wanda laughed at her friend and they pushed through the crowd, to the staff room, preparing themselves for an unbelievably busy shift. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>*</b>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hallowe’en weekend had come and gone and Wanda had needed her two full days off to recuperate from the hectic shifts at the bar. Vision had, as usual, been his gentle, supportive self, doing her chores and making her meals on Sunday and Monday, insisting that she should just rest. They had stayed open till 4am on the Saturday night and till after 2am on Hallowe’en itself and Vision kept repeating that she had earned the right to rest. On Monday he brought Thai takeout home with him and they had sat on the couch together for hours on end just discussing the world. It had been so lovely. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was now Thursday and Wanda was waiting nervously for the arrival of Monica and Darcy at her and Vision’s apartment. Though she had been playing it cool with Vision all week, she didn’t want him to worry, she hadn’t expected to be quite as nervous for them coming round as she was. It wasn’t them coming to the apartment that she was worried about, it was actually introducing them to Vision. Vision had been her just hers ever since he entered her life as they had chosen to limit who knew about their arrangement and she wasn’t sure if she wanted to share him. She loved her friends, she really did but her she wanted Vision to like them too which was just dumb. She had made a fuss all day ensuring that the apartment was clean and tidy (not that either of them were particularly messy) and that there was enough wine to go around. The girls were due around four in the afternoon which gave her more than an hour in the apartment to get them settled before Vision got home from work. She wasn’t sure if that spare hour was a good or a bad thing. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Wanda stood on the balcony, in Vision’s slightly sad garden since winter had settled in and the pumpkins they had carved together for Hallowe’en were reaching the end of their lives. She looked out over the city, trying to breathe deeply and stop worrying- what did she really have to worry about anyway? Her two best friends were just meeting her new friend, that was all. It wasn’t as if they were meeting her boyfriend. There was absolutely nothing to worry about. She was startled out of her thoughts by her phone ringing, it was Darcy.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Wanda are we in the right place? Do you have a doorman? Yes hello sir, we come in peace I promise, just visiting a friend who has clearly gone up in the world,” Darcy said down the phone. “You’re the top floor right?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Darcy get off the phone, we can find her apartment just fine, we’re adults,” came Monica’s voice from somewhere near Darcy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What is that tone for, Monica? It was you that said the doorman looked intimidating, not me, remember?” Darcy said back. “We are in the fancy elevator now. Ooh look, even the buttons look expensive!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll see you two in a minute,” Wanda said, smiling as she hung up to the sound of Darcy pointing out every feature of the building’s elevator. Wanda went to the apartment door and opened it and stood in the doorway to wait for them. She watched the elevator numbers go up, until it reached 15 and the doors pinged open. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Darcy rushed out first. “This place is amazing! I can’t believe you have kept us away for so long, you’re a member of high society now!” She hugged Wanda quickly before pushing past her to get a look at the apartment. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Monica gave Wanda a smile before they embraced. “I’ve missed you, Wanda,” she said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Missed you too, Mon,” Wanda replied. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Monica added, “This place is ridiculous though, how much rent are you paying him to stay here?”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
    <br/>
  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wanda laughed awkwardly as she closed the door behind her and Monica and joined Darcy in the kitchen, who was systematically examining every cupboard. “I don’t actually pay rent. Vision refused to take any money off of me since I didn’t really have much choice in this whole situation.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“See I told you it was like having a sugar daddy! He pays for your transport, your rent, probably your food too!” Darcy said from where she was analysing the contents of the refrigerator. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well we actually take it in turns to pay for the food, I do have some pride you know,” Wanda said indignantly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Want to give us a tour?” Monica said, trying to move the subject away from Darcy teasing Wanda as quickly as possible. She often acted as a mediator between the two of them. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure, let’s get wine first though. It will be a fancy tour to match a fancy apartment,” Wanda said, forcing herself to relax a bit. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She had been panicking for no reason of course. Her friends were impressed by the apartment as Wanda had been when she first moved in; Darcy had a particular fascination for the volume of books Vision had ‘He must have the brain of a supercomputer to have read all of these’, and they shared the love for the little balcony. They eventually settled in the living room and ordered their pizza whilst starting their second glasses of wine.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Monica was talking about an argument she had had earlier in the week with her boss when the sound of Vision’s keys in the apartment door stopped the conversation entirely. Wanda, Darcy and Monica all turned to look at the door expectantly. Vision appeared through the door, looking as magnificent as ever. He wore a grey suit today under his winter jacket, with a light shirt and blue tie and his face was framed by the scarf that was wound around his neck to combat the cold. He had even worn his glasses to work today, as if he were trying to torture Wanda. He looked over to them, glancing over her friends before his eyes settled on Wanda and he gave her a gentle smile. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Good evening, everyone,” he said, his voice slightly nervous. He looked away and began to unwind his scarf from his neck as Wanda looked at her friends. They were both staring at him, though Darcy’s mouth was hanging open. Wanda got up and went over to where Vision was hanging his coat and bag up on the hooks by the front door. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“How was work?” She asked him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Work was fine,” he replied. “How’s girls night?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Girls night is great,” she replied. Then she remembered her friends. “Right, introductions! Vision meet Darcy and Monica, my two best friends in the world.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Vision hastened over to the living room to extend a hand to them, Monica took it first. “I’m Monica, it's so nice to finally meet you,” she said and gave him a warm smile.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Likewise,” Vision replied, returning the smile as he turned to Darcy. “It’s so nice to finally put faces to the names.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Darcy finally returned to the room and said, without even a hint of shame, “Especially with a face as nice as yours.” She shook his hand as his cheeks flushed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He pushed his glasses up his nose before moving to the kitchen. “I take it no one wants a cup of tea?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“This is a wine only affair,” Darcy said, still looking at him in amazement. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Vision busied himself in the kitchen, where Wanda joined him. She heard Monica and Darcy begin to talk in hushed tones in the living room and she spoke quietly to Vision as he got his mug out. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry about them, it’s just weird you know?” She said, worried that they had gotten off on the wrong foot with him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He looked her straight in the eyes as he replied. “Don’t apologise, they seem lovely. You saw how I was when we ran into Tony at the grocery store, our situation is not an easy one to understand, or empathise with. Our friends do their best.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She looked back up at him, the genuine look in his eyes and found herself in awe again at his ability to be understanding. “We ordered pizza, if you want to hang out with us for a little while.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He poured the boiled water into his mug as he answered, “Wouldn’t that defeat the point of girls night?” She started to speak as he continued over her. “Wanda, this isn’t me hiding away from you. You deserve to spend time at home with your friends, without having to worry about me being included in the conversations and understanding the minutiae of their lives. I have some work to do, then I’ll probably head down to the gym later on. But I’m giving you your space just now because you deserve to spend time with your friends, in your home. Alright?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re my friend too,” she responded softly. They were talking quietly and were standing so closely. She saw now that he was wearing suspenders under his suit jacket today as well, which was something else her brain would fixate on for the coming nights. He smelled of his office, the city and the hint of his cologne from the morning. And he was looking at her so tenderly, stood holding his steaming mug of tea and studying her face from behind his glasses. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I am your friend, but we live together, we can spend time together whenever we want,” he eventually replied, though she felt him holding back. “Go, have a lovely evening with your lovely friends. I am already excited to hear about it in the morning.” And something must have possessed Vision in that moment as he kissed her softly on the forehead before he headed out of the kitchen and pulled his laptop from his work bag, before turning to Monica and Darcy in the living room. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m off to do a bit of work, you ladies enjoy your wine and pizza, alright?” He said with another smile. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Darcy just nodded as Monica gave him a small word of thanks and he disappeared down the hall and into the office. As soon as the door closed behind him, Wanda’s friends turned to look at her. Darcy’s face was lit up with smug realisation where Monica looked mildly concerned. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What is it?” Wanda asked as she came over and sat on the sofa next to Darcy, who raised her eyebrows at her. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You and him? Seriously? You like him! Like, a lot!” She said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Wanda blinked back at her, her response was maybe too delayed. “What? Stop being ridiculous Darcy, we’re just friends, that’s all.” She picked up her glass of wine from the coffee table. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve never seen friends who look at each other like that,” Monica said, her tone more controlled than Darcy. “Come on, Wanda, you can’t hide stuff like this from us, we know you too well.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well obviously you don’t, because I don’t think about him like that,” Wanda said, to which Monica joined Darcy in her eyebrow raising. Wanda rolled her eyes, then said, “Fine, maybe I want him some of the time. But we really are just friends. Nothing romantic going on at all.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Darcy opened her mouth to argue as the intercom rang, the pizza arrived to save Wanda’s ass from the conversation. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>By the time she had collected their pizza, tipped the delivery guy and they had settled back down to eat and drink, the topic of conversation had moved on from her and Vision. Though she would deny it if they asked, she did tune Darcy out whilst she told Monica about some of the better Hallowe’en costumes they had seen at work over the weekend and instead thought about how Vision had smelled when he had stepped in to kiss her. She spent a lot of time that evening subconsciously ghosting her fingers over the spot where Vision’s lips had brushed her forehead. And if Monica and Darcy noticed, they were good enough friends that they didn’t point it out. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was Saturday morning and Wanda was sat out with Vision on the balcony, wrapped up in her robe with a blanket over her lap, sat watching the city wake up despite the cold morning. She had brought a book out with her this morning, one from the list he had made from her and seemed engrossed in it. He glanced over at her sporadically, between crossword clues, just to study the details of her face before he realised what he was doing and would immediately return to his newspaper puzzle. He had already overstepped a line this week, that kiss on the forehead in the kitchen had been a moment of weakness, not one that he intended to repeat. She had never mentioned it again, so he was sort of hoping that it was platonic enough that it hadn’t caused her any discomfort or distress. He had been glad to hide in his office after it had happened, though he had achieved very little in terms of work as he had been so flustered by his own actions. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He felt a similar sense of upset just now as he waited for the right moment to speak to her about Thanksgiving. He had spent the last few years at Tony and Pepper’s for Thanksgiving, it was always a very small occasion, as humble as Tony ever got, just him, Bruce and the Starks. He wanted to invite Wanda, to formally introduce her to his friends and felt that Thanksgiving would be a safe environment to do it. He had told both of his friends about he and Wanda’s arrangement at work the week after they had met Tony at the grocery store. Tony and Bruce had not taken the news of his marriage particularly well, though that was mostly because Vision hadn’t told them about it at the time which he supposed was a justifiable feeling. They had now had time to adjust to the idea, which meant Tony had made it his mission to make as many references to Vision’s ‘wife’ as possible during meetings with other staff, just to tease Vision. He didn’t overly mind it, though sometimes he worried the jokes were slightly too obvious and someone would ask him about it. Now that they knew and now that Vision had met Wanda’s friends, he was keen to make the introduction proper. He was hopeful, that after the conversation about being friends that he and Wanda had had in the kitchen the other evening, that after their year of marriage it was likely they would remain friends to one another, albeit in a much less involved way. If that was to be the case, Wanda ought to know his other friends. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He cleared his throat slightly and Wanda looked up from the pages of her book with interest. He folded his newspaper up into his lap, trying to carry an air of casual conversation, then asked her, “Wanda, do you have any plans for Thanksgiving this year?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She tilted her head slightly at him then closed her book (without using a bookmark, he would have to lend her one of his after they were done talking) and she sat up slightly in her chair. “No, I don’t really observe Thanksgiving. It’s an American holiday and you know I only moved here when I was fifteen. I didn’t think you would either, considering you’re not from here either?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t, not really, but my friends do and they like for me to go, usually,” he said, now resigning himself to not invite her as she may feel like she had to accept which was the last thing he wanted. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She looked at him again, a sort of contemplative look on her face. She seemed to make some sort of a decision as she sat up even straighter and sighed before she spoke. “I have sort of avoided most family-based holidays, since… Since my brother, Pietro, died. He was my twin.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Vision looked at her, her face vulnerable in a way it never had been before. “Wanda, I’m so sorry. How long ago did he pass away?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’ll be four years in April,” she said. “It was a freak accident, that’s why he died so young. People always ask how. I just don’t find any joy in those sorts of holidays now, they remind me too much that he isn’t with me.” Her eyes were glassy with tears, though she hadn’t actually let any fall. She seemed to be controlling her feelings as much as she could. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Wanda,” Vision said, moving his seat closer to her. “You don’t need to be ashamed of your feelings, your grief. At least not in front of me.” She looked at him, then burst into tears. He moved over to her instinctively, taking her in his arms as she cried. They stayed like that for a while, until Wanda was calm enough to talk again. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I try really hard not to think about it, you know? And then when I do, it rushes at me all at once,” she pulled back from his chest and wiped under her eyes with the heel of her hand. “Sorry, not the nicest way to spend your Saturday morning.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Shh, don’t be silly,” Vision said, fighting the urge to wipe the tears off of her face himself. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Why did you ask anyway?” Wanda asked him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Ask what?” Vision countered, confused. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“About Thanksgiving,” she replied.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, it doesn’t matter now,” Vision said, picking up their mugs and Wanda’s book as they headed into the apartment. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No it must have mattered, I want to know why you asked?” Wanda persisted. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He looked at her tear stained face, then said, “Well it’s just that Tony normally hosts me for Thanksgiving, it’s a really small affair. Just me, Bruce, Tony and his wife Pepper. And I was going to ask if you wanted to come, I thought it was perhaps a nicer environment to introduce you to Bruce and Tony than getting you to come to the office one day. But forget it now, I absolutely understand your reasons for not doing Thanksgiving.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Wanda’s eyes were gentle as she looked back at him. “I’d love to come,” she said gently.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Vision immediately protested, “No, Wanda, you are not obliged to come. You shouldn’t put yourself in a position that is difficult for you just because I want you to meet my friends. You can come by the office any time.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She came over and took his hand. “Vision, it’s about time I started moving on from my brother’s death. And this sounds like the best way to do it, just a small dinner with people you trust, which means they’re people I trust. I’m coming, alright?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He looked down at her, the earnest look in her eyes and couldn’t do anything other than oblige her. “Alright, I’ll make sure Tony and Pepper know, so they can adjust the food accordingly.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She smiled up at him. “Thank you Vision. I never talk to anyone about Pietro, I find it so difficult. So thank you.” She stepped up onto her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek, it was the most natural movement to her. She then stepped back and said, “I’m gonna go get in the shower, can’t have the people of the grocery store staring at my puffy face, can I?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It seemed to be a rhetorical question, as she left him stood in the living room, his cheek burning where she had kissed it. Vision didn’t know how long he stood there before he shook himself out of his trance and hunted for his phone. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Text Tony about Thanksgiving,” he muttered to himself as he found his phone on the kitchen counter. He scrolled through a few work emails, replying to any urgent ones even though it was a Saturday. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Grocery store at 12?” Wanda’s voice pulled his eyes from his phone, though he wished it hadn’t. She was stood at the bathroom door in just her towel, her hair all bundled up in one too. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, 12, yes,” he stammered and swallowed hard. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“See you then,” Wanda said and disappeared down the hall. Vision stared after her, then checked the time on his phone after her bedroom door closed behind her. 11:15. Hopefully that would be enough time to recover from the sight of Wanda fresh out of the shower, though he didn’t feel overly optimistic. He would just have to manage himself as best he could.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Wanda and Vision go to Thanksgiving at the Starks' and Wanda visits Vision at work.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello sorry this is up a few days later than I would have liked, uni assignments just took over my life last week! I hope you enjoy this chapter it has some of my favourite fluffy and soft moments to date &lt;3 As always, thank you for kudos and comments all of the support keeps me so motivated! xxxxx</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Thanksgiving arrived along with the city’s first flurry of snow. It hadn’t been enough to lie for longer than a night, though it had certainly put Vision into more of a festive spirit. As with most large scale companies, RedTech had lots of sales targets to meet by Christmas, though Tony implemented a strict no shop talk policy at Thanksgiving dinner which would be a relief for Vision. He and Wanda were expected at the Starks’ in the early afternoon and Tony had insisted on paying for a cab to pick them up, despite Vision being his boss. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Vision was almost ready to go; he had showered and put his contacts in and was just pulling his navy turtleneck over his head when Wanda knocked on the door. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Vision, can I come in?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He checked himself quickly in the mirror before answering, “Yes come in.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The door swung open and Wanda came in. She looked perfect as usual, in a dark dress and heels. “I need help putting this necklace on, I just can’t fasten it. Do you mind?” She held the necklace out to him, the pendant swinging gently between them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course I don’t mind,” he said, taking the necklace from her. She gathered her hair up so it wasn’t obstructing his view and he draped the fine chain round her neck. Though it was a fairly menial task, the whole thing felt so intimate; Wanda standing so close to him and his fingers lightly brushing the back of her neck as he fastened the clasp of the necklace. Her heels meant the height difference was slightly less dramatic between them, though he still stood nearly a head taller than her. After the job was done, she turned to face him, adjusting the necklace slightly so the pendant fell in the right place. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“How do I look?” She asked with a smile. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Vision paused for a moment, trying to find a word that wouldn’t suggest anything untoward. “Like you perfectly understood Pepper’s dress code of ‘dress smart but come dressed as yourself’, something that took me a few years to decipher the actual meaning of.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Good, I’m glad I’m going to get off on the right foot with her at least, I would hate to offend by coming dressed as someone else,” she replied. She sat on the end of his bed as he retrieved his shoes from his closet and sat to tie the laces up. “Your view is much better than mine,” she observed, looking out of the window that showed the cityscape in all of its glory. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Vision glanced over at her, concerned. “Well it was just easier when you moved in to put you in the opposite room as I was settled in here but if you would prefer this I would be more than happy to-” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Vision, I was teasing. And also stating a fact. This view is better, but I like my room a lot, stop fussing,” she said, her eyes crinkled slightly as she looked at him with a smile on her face. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m glad you like it,” he replied as he finished up with his shoes. He checked the time on his watch, “We should probably head downstairs, in case the driver is early.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you think that’s likely?” Wanda said, her voice skeptical. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No,” he replied as he closed his bedroom door behind them. “But it’s better to be safe than sorry.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She just nodded in response and they headed down the hallway side by side. They both got dressed properly for the cold weather, warm coats, gloves and scarves. Wanda grabbed her keys then asked, “Do you have the wine?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Almost forgot,” Vision said as he turned back from the front door to the kitchen to get the bottle of wine they had picked out for Tony and Pepper earlier in the week. “What would I do without you?” He asked as he returned, bottle in hand. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She studied his face for a moment, as if she were trying to figure out something. She eventually answered, “Well without me, you would forget to bring the thoughtful gifts you buy for your friends. And you would never complete a single crossword puzzle, honestly your lack of trashy pop culture knowledge is shocking.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He smiled down at her as they headed out of the apartment and down the hall. In truth, he didn’t always need her assistance with the crossword clues, it was often just an excuse to break the silence and talk to her. Wanda was just so easy to talk to and a question about history might lead into a debate about politics or perhaps a question about geography might lead to a comparison of their two markedly different European home countries. Vision was not ashamed to admit that he was a shy person and often found it difficult to strike up conversation in a more natural way, that was why he did it. Also, sometimes a question about one of the Kardashian family would appear in the crossword puzzle and he truly needed Wanda’s help. It wasn’t wholly self-serving. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They reached the lobby and stepped out into the street together and simultaneously wished the doorman a Happy Thanksgiving. It was cold, a particularly biting wind nipped at Vision’s ears and swirled Wanda’s long red hair around her. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I love the winter you know, but God I hate to stand about in the cold. I am much happier stood at the window of our apartment, cup of hot chocolate in my hand and watching the snow rather than physically experiencing it,” Wanda said as she huddled close into Vision’s side to buffet the cold off of her. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, well, I rather hate the long absences I have to take from my plants and the balcony itself in the winter. You haven’t experienced the balcony in the height of summer but believe me when I say it’s glorious,” he replied. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I will get to see it though,” Wanda said in response. “I’ll still be with you in the summer, remember.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course I remember,” Vision said. He remembered that fact as Wanda’s departure date from his apartment and probably his life was something that his mind wandered to often during boring meetings or on his subway ride home at night. He found it hard to imagine himself in the position of Wanda’s other friends; seeing her a few times a week at the very most in Darcy’s case but Monica worked upstate and was lucky if she made it down to the city once a fortnight. Eating dinner alone in the apartment, watching movies by himself, sitting on the balcony on Saturday mornings without Wanda’s company were scenarios he didn’t want to dwell on. Before Wanda, he had never had much issue being alone, his last long term relationship had ended two years before they had met and had not ended well- he had been more than happy to resign himself to quiet, stress free solitude. The thought of being alone was now repulsive. He was being selfish, he knew that really. He would have Wanda right through until September of next year, much more time than he deserved, but the passing of every holiday was going to act as a marker of their time growing shorter. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The cab ride to Tony and Pepper’s was quiet, Vision held a polite conversation with the taxi driver about the rest of his plans for the day until it naturally petered out and he instead settled to watch the city flash by them. Tony and Pepper didn’t live in the city centre like Vision, they preferred the space of a house just outside of the city, a change of environment that Vision welcomed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When they finally pulled up outside Tony's place Wanda said, “Wow, are all of your friends ridiculously wealthy or just the ones I’m being introduced to?” The house was beautiful, if a bit too modern to fit in properly with its surroundings. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Vision chuckled, “No, Tony just gets paid very well. He has a very generous boss you see.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Generous? Hmm that’s a weird way to word pushover,” she teased as they got out of the cab after Vision had tipped the driver. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, that and Pepper is the CEO of this huge non profit company. They are good people, you’ll like them all I think,” Vision said as they walked up the driveway to the front door. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sure I will,” Wanda replied. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Vision rang the doorbell and Tony soon appeared at the front door. “It’s the boss and his fake wife! What a pleasure! Tell me, Ms Maximoff, what on earth is it like being married to the most fastidious man on the planet? Is he exhausting? I’m sure he must be exhausting cause he’s so damn amenable.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Pepper appeared next to him and cut him off, “Tony come on let them in out of the cold.” Pepper ushered them over the threshold and immediately embraced Vision and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “Vision it’s been too long, how are you?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m doing just fine Pepper, how are you? How’s married life treating you?” Tony and Pepper had only gotten married in the June of this year, Vision had been the best man. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Married life with Tony is exactly what you would expect,” Pepper said, and she ignored Tony’s look of offence as she turned to Wanda who was standing slightly behind Vision. “And you must be Wanda? I’m Pepper, it’s so nice to meet you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hi, it’s nice to meet you too,” Wanda said, giving her a tentative smile.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Tony, take their coats, then we can go through to the dining room, Bruce should be here soon too and then we eat,” Pepper said and Vision and Wanda did as they were told. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The dining room was beautifully set as ever, with Wanda and Vision both having little personalised place cards at their seats next to each other at the table. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve got to go keep an eye on everything in the kitchen so you two just get comfortable,” Pepper said and she disappeared in the direction of the smell of food. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tony could be heard in the kitchen talking about wine, so it was just Vision and Wanda. “Pepper is nice,” Wanda said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Pepper is probably the only person ever who has been able to tame Tony,” Vision said. “I might be his boss but he pretty much does what he wants, in part because I trust him fully and also because he doesn’t respond too well to authority, unless it’s from Pepper.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Wanda smiled as she held her little place card between her fingers, “They’re a good match then?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, they really were made for each other,” Vision said and Wanda looked at him fully then, her head tilted slightly to the side as she regarded him. Vision then jumped slightly as Tony swung the door open, holding the bottle of wine that they had brought with them and another bottle of white. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You always buy wine that’s more expensive than what we have, you don’t need to remind us that you make the big bucks buddy,” Tony said as he lined up the wine glasses to pour everyone a drink. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The doorbell rang, then the sound of the front door opening and closing was heard. “That’ll be Banner,” Tony said and right enough, Bruce appeared in the open doorway to the dining room. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Good afternoon and Happy Thanksgiving!” He said as he came into the room. “You must be Wanda, nice to meet you, I’m Bruce. I work with Vision.” Bruce and Wanda shook hands.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It's so nice to finally meet you, I’ve heard all about you,” Wanda said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that right?” Tony said. “What has he said about me Wanda? He was singing my praises, I assume? Told you I’m the best employee RedTech has ever seen?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Come on Tony, it may not be a conventional marriage but you know Vision isn’t capable of building a relationship based on lies,” Bruce replied as he took his seat next to Vision. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You know what Banner, you’re just like Vision, you seem all nice on the outside but you’ve got all those emotions locked up. You should let them out you’d be more fun,” Tony gave Bruce a grin as Pepper appeared through the door. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Tony, I need help serving,” she said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m happy to help,” offered Vision. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t be ridiculous, you’re a guest. My husband can come and do his job,” Pepper said, giving Tony a stern look as she returned to the kitchen and Tony immediately followed her. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Once dinner was served, they settled into easy conversation. Vision was happy to sit back and watch Wanda interact with his friends with ease, her and Pepper both knew lots about art and Bruce was generally just good at conversation. Tony was a bit different, cracking jokes often but never at the wrong time and he truly shone when he did his traditional toast. They gelled so easily, they were a good group of people. They talked late into the evening, long after they had finished dinner and were instead all reclining with their glasses of wine. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They had been discussing the Thanksgiving of two years’ previously, when Bruce had gotten so drunk he had fallen down the stairs of Tony’s previous apartment and had had to spend the night in the emergency room. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>This led Tony to ask, “So Wanda, what do you normally do for Thanksgiving? Pre-phony marriage.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Vision instinctively reached out to take Wanda’s hand, which she held onto tightly. He could see the panic in her face so he answered for her, “Wanda is like me Tony, neither of us really celebrate Thanksgiving, we just use it as an excuse to steal food from our friends.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What does ‘like you’ mean? Antisocial?” Tony asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“European,” answered Wanda, and she threw Vision a grateful smile which he returned. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tony snapped his fingers in the air, “Ah I knew there was something off about you! Well, it can't be helped I guess, but you’ve passed on every other front so I suppose I’ll let it slide.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They shared a laugh at that as Bruce checked the time, “It’s really late, we should get out of you guys’ way.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re welcome to stay over, we have plenty of room,” Pepper said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I think I’ll take you up on that offer,” Bruce said. “Vision? Wanda?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Vision and Wanda looked at each other, he quickly read the expression on her face. “I think we’d be better going home, thank you though.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tony retrieved their coats from the front door as they waited for a cab to arrive and said their goodbyes. Bruce gave Wanda an awkward half hug, Tony shook her hand and Pepper hugged her properly. Vision hugged each of his friends, reaching Pepper last. As she pulled back from him, she looked at his face with a concerned smile. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I know the way you two met wasn’t conventional but please make sure you know how you feel about her,” Pepper said quietly. When Vision just looked confused, she elaborated further, “You two don’t look at each other like people who are unhappily married, that’s all I’m saying.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Vision had had enough wine that he didn’t quite know how to absorb that so he instead answered, “Thanks again for a lovely meal, I’ll speak to you soon.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Cab’s here,” Tony said from his viewpoint at the living room window. “Call once you’re home ok, gotta make sure you’re still alive to give me my Christmas bonus.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t get a Christmas bonus,” Vision said with a raised eyebrow. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Not yet I don’t,” Tony said with a wink as he opened the front door for them. The three of them watched from the doorway as Wanda and Vision headed down to the taxi that was waiting for them and they all waved as the car pulled away. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Wanda settled in the back seat close to Vision, her eyes drooping from a combination of wine and tiredness, “Thank you for a great Thanksgiving, Viz. You take such good care of me.” She took his hand and rested her head on his shoulder. Vision didn’t dare move as she started to doze off. Instead he thought about what Pepper had said and Wanda’s hand holding onto his as she slept. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>*****</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Wanda stood on the busy street and craned her neck to look up at RedTech’s skyscraper city office towering above her. She had been round at Darcy’s apartment and had decided to stop by Vision’s work to see if he wanted to grab dinner in the city for once, they had never actually eaten out together before. She could have just called him to ask, she probably should have done that and now she had come all the way there it would be silly to not just go in and ask him. She wasn’t really sure what seemed so daunting about it. Vision never gave her the impression that he took his work too seriously but the reality of standing in front of a corporate building in her ripped black jeans and red winter coat made her feel very unworthy. She imagined the people that worked around Vision (well, really just imagined hundreds of Sharon Carters since that was the only basis she had to go off of), fancy suits, expensive haircuts, lots of things that Wanda wasn’t. It was the first of December, a little over a week since Thanksgiving, so she knew that Tony and Bruce would be at work and neither of them had seemed to judge her. In fact, Tony had been fascinated by the practicalities of working behind a bar and had sketched out a redesign on a napkin that he insisted would be more efficient than what Wanda had described. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Come on Wanda, what’s the problem,</span>
  </em>
  <span> she thought. The real problem was the reality of asking Vision to dinner but she wasn’t going to dwell on that. She took a deep breath and strode forward with all of the phony confidence she could muster and enter the building. Her boots squeaked slightly against the polished floors because the soles were wet from the sidewalk, but she tried to ignore it. The receptionist at the front desk looked up and watched her look around for an elevator or maybe a sign directing her to Vision’s office. She realised too late that she had not thought her plan through. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The receptionist spoke up, “Can I help you ma’am?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Wanda turned round to face her, equal parts relieved and scared. “Yes, um, I’m looking for Vision’s office?” The receptionist looked at her blankly and it clicked with Wanda. “Oh sorry, I mean Victor, Mr Shade. I’m his friend.” She tried to give the girl a smile but she felt it came across as more of a grimace. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The receptionist looked her up and down and made a decision. “Mr Shade’s office is the top floor, 32 in the elevator which is to your right.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you so much,” Wanda said and she tried not to rush over to the elevator. The doors closed behind her after she’d punched the button for 32 and she breathed a sigh of relief. It dawned on her there that she was going up 32 floors, this wasn’t likely to be a solo trip. It wasn’t long before the elevator was close to full, the first few people that joined her had looked over her outfit with silent judgement but no one had verbally challenged her right to be there, which was a relief. She had been silently praying that Tony or Bruce would appear and put her mind at ease. Unfortunately they were nowhere to be seen. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After what felt like an eternity, Wanda and one other man got out on the top floor. He gave her another discerning once over before he strode off down the corridor, leaving Wanda on the carpeted floor outside the elevator with no idea where she was going. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Do they not signpost anything in these huge buildings,” she muttered to herself. She looked around and was met by doorways and a wide open corridor, none of which had a flashy neon sign reading ‘Vision’s Office!’. She decided the best course of action was just to follow the man from the elevator’s route and so she headed down the corridor. It opened out into a wide office space, with a landscape composed of desks and PCs. The whole room was busy, she recognised elevator man talking to a woman sitting at a desk to her left. Wanda tried her best to not look awkward as she looked around for any sign of Vision, or an obvious office space that he might be hiding in. People were starting look at her now, she didn’t fancy her chances of getting to wait for Vision to appear which was why she felt like crying when she heard his voice, </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Wanda?” Was all he said, she turned to see him coming down the corridor she had come down with Tony at his side. “What are you doing here? Is everything alright?” He looked at her with concern. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No, no everything’s fine,” she said. “Hi Tony,” she added as Tony watched their interaction with a look of mild amusement. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll leave you two alone just now. I’ll get these plans back to you early next week, ok?” Tony said.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Early next week would be fantastic,” Vision said, before he turned back to Wanda. “Would you like to see my office?” He gave her a smile. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes please,” she said and she followed him through the scattered desks, walking at his side, pretending not to notice all of the eyes watching them as they approached double doors at the very end of the room. Who she assumed was Vision’s private assistant didn’t even try to hide the look of shock on his face. Vision held the door open for her,</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>“After you,” he said and she headed into the office, with him following directly behind. The office was huge, the size of a small apartment really, with a staggering view of New York that put the impressive view from Vision’s bedroom to shame. She looked around in awe and turned to find Vision looking at her expectantly, she realised she hadn’t actually told him why she was there. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“This seems really dumb now, but I was round at Darcy’s this afternoon and she was working tonight so I left earlier than I normally would. Then as I was heading to the subway I was thinking about how we’ve never gone out to eat dinner before and thought maybe we could go after you’re done here?” She said, slightly embarrassed that she hadn’t just texted him to ask. “Only if you want to,” she added on. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He smiled at her properly. Absolutely beamed at her. “I would love to get dinner with you,” he said and Wanda’s heart skipped a beat. “I have a few things to finish up here first, but you can just stay in my office. You’re welcome to a cup of tea or coffee. Just give me fifteen minutes or so.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure and I don’t want coffee, thanks though,” Wanda said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe you could choose somewhere to get dinner?” Vision said as he settled himself behind his desk. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“On it,” Wanda said as she sat on one of the sofas to the left of his desk and pulled her phone out. She browsed through the nearby restaurants, looking for something that sounded interesting. She glanced over at Vision and smiled slightly at the look of concentration on his face as he focused on his computer screen, his brow furrowed slightly as he read. He must have felt her staring as he turned to look at her. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Everything alright?” He asked her. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, I’ve just never seen you working before, you normally go and hide in the office when you have to focus. It suits you,” she said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What suits me?” He questioned, his tone confused. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“The whole CEO thing. I know you hate it but you don’t look out of place here,” she said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He sat back slightly in his chair as he ran a hand through his hair. “I suppose I don’t hate this bit, sitting in my office quietly working away. It’s the board meetings, the financial forecasts and the whole personnel management bit that I don’t like. But let’s not talk about that, where are we going for dinner?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve got a few options that are all close to each other, I figured we could just walk to them and see how busy they are, since the rain has stopped,” Wanda said as she watched Vision retrieve his coat and bag from hooks beside the office door. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s a great idea. We should be fine getting a table; it’s a little early for dinner anyway,” Vision said and once again held the door open for her. “Just a moment,” he said as Wanda made to walk back the way they came. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Wanda watched as he approached the desk of the man who she had assumed was his assistant, who was eyeing Wanda critically from his post behind the desk. “Leon, this is Wanda. In future if she comes in, she is to be let straight into my office if I’m not in, alright?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The man replied, “Yes, Mr Shade,” though he still didn’t sound thrilled at the prospect. It hit Wanda then that the man was jealous of her and that in turn sent a wave of jealousy through her, imagining anyone else wanting Vision the way she did. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Fantastic, you can call her Wanda or Ms Maximoff, whichever she prefers,” Vision said, looking over at Wanda. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She looked at Leon, sat primly behind his desk, a hint of challenge in his eyes. He didn’t know that she and Vision weren’t actually a couple but he didn’t need to find the truth out. “Ms Maximoff sounds good to me,” she answered and Leon glared back at her but nodded his head slightly in affirmation. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright, that’s sorted then, let’s go and eat,” Vision said to Wanda and they walked back the way they had come earlier. Vision said goodbyes to various people they walked past, nodding in acknowledgement as people said they would see him tomorrow and Wanda felt them stare after them as they headed down the corridor to the elevator. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As they entered the empty elevator, Wanda said to Vision, “They all looked pretty confused to see you with someone.” She looked over at him to watch his response.  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not particularly close with my employees unfortunately, the board actively discourages it. The only people here who really know anything about me are Tony and Bruce, otherwise my private life is entirely private, which is how it should be,” Vision said. “I suppose it was just a shock to see that I have things going on outside of the company, I imagine you will be a topic of much discussion amongst them for the coming days.” He gave her an apologetic smile. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Let them talk,” Wanda said and took his hand. “I’m proud to be the first person your colleagues have ever gossiped about in relation to you and your life.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He laughed slightly at that, “Well it’s not like they’re going to say anything in front of me, I do pay their wages.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The elevator reached the ground floor and they exited together, still hand in hand. It took all of Wanda’s willpower not to look smugly over at the receptionist as she and Vision walked past and Vision wished her a good evening, though she felt the woman’s eyes on her. When they reached the street and headed in the direction of the first restaurant Wanda had selected, Vision began to talk about the project plans Tony had been showing him and how he was particularly excited for this new development in artificial intelligence. Wanda listened to every word he said with genuine interest and couldn’t keep the smile off of her face as she listened to him talk. She regularly looked down at their hands that stayed joined until they sat down for dinner half an hour later and her soul felt completely content.   </span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
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</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>It's Christmas time for Wanda and Vision</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi hello! Yes this is over 5000 words of Christmas content in March and no I will not apologise for it. Thank you so much for everyone who is sticking with this I know slow burn can be frustrating but don't worry, things will be speeding up soon ;) As ever, thank you for the kudos and the comments I love you all so much &lt;3 Happy reading!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The Christmas season brought on a hectic workload in both Wanda and Vision’s jobs. Vision worked later in the evening, coming home closer to eight most evenings and Wanda went up to five shifts a week, so they saw very little of each other. From what she understood about his work, Vision liked to make sure all of the targets were met well before Christmas, so that everyone got a proper break without stressing about coming back to work; she would expect nothing less from him given how considerate he usually was. Her shifts were more frequent so the only plus from that was seeing Darcy more often. She had arrived to work the previous night in a bad mood and Darcy had eventually snapped at her. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You need to spend some time with him,” Darcy had said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What? Spend time with who?” Wanda had replied as she stuffed a few bills into the tip jar before she prepared to venture back out amongst the busy tables. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Your dreamy fake husband. You’re all cranky cause you haven’t seen him properly in days, please spend some time with him and get him to lighten your mood,” Darcy had whispered into her ear as she passed Wanda with a tray of cocktails. “Even better, get him to relieve some of that sexual tension you’re carrying around.” Wanda had scowled and Darcy had laughed and now Wanda was sat with her finger hovering over Vision’s contact in her phone. She had sort of impulse bought a Christmas tree for the apartment, dragged it home and their lovely doorman had helped her stuff it in the elevator to get it upstairs. She had failed to check if Vision wanted a tree, or even if he had any decorations tucked away somewhere in the apartment. They were also yet to discuss Christmas itself. Since her brother’s death, she had no family left and Darcy and Monica both had people of their own to spend Christmas with and whilst she was always invited, she didn’t like to intrude, preferring to spend the holiday alone. It had never really bothered her too much but she didn’t really like the idea of spending Christmas alone in Vision’s apartment. She knew he didn’t have any family left either, maybe he went to Tony’s like Thanksgiving or perhaps Bruce hosted Christmas. She liked the idea of spending another holiday with Vision’s friends which was something she would need to work on; it was a bad idea to get too attached to the people in Vision’s life, as well as him, Monica kept reminding her. That advice hadn’t stopped Wanda yet, nor was it likely to. She was going to get everything she could out of her time with Vision and she had amped up her attempts at seduction over the past few weeks. She constantly pushed their physical barriers; when watching movies they used to sit on separate seats, now she sat next to him, arguing that it was better for sharing popcorn that way. She insisted they share a blanket when they were both sat out on the balcony reading during the day on Sunday (the mornings were too cold, they braved the afternoon air together instead) and they had had such a wonderful time out together when they had gone for dinner two weeks ago, she had suggested that they make it a more regular occurrence when he was working and they had gotten lunch together twice. Both times, they had held hands to and from lunch, with her coming in for a much too lengthy hug and kiss on the cheek as they said goodbye. None of these techniques were as dramatic as she would usually like to use, no deliberately sexy clothes, no making comments about how he looked as desperate as she was getting, she didn’t want to make him uncomfortable. Darcy wasn’t wrong though, she was going to have to do something about this sexual tension eventually. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She sighed and decided to just text him a picture of the tree instead of call. Hopefully he wouldn’t be working too late tonight and he would be able to come home and decorate it with her. He replied almost immediately with: </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>I was thinking about getting a tree when I was on the subway this morning, you must be able to read my mind! I’ll get home as quickly as possible this evening, decorations are in the cupboard in the office xx</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Wanda couldn’t even be thrilled that he would be home early as she was already starting to overthink the ‘xx’ that punctuated Vision’s text. He had never done that before. His texts were always so carefully typed out, she teased him when they first moved in together, saying he had the most grammatically perfect texts on earth, so there was no way he had added them by mistake. She sat smiling at her phone like a lunatic for god knows how long, before she shook herself out of it and went to the spare cupboard in the office, a spot she had never investigated before. There were a few old photos stuck on the inside of the door, one of Tony and Vision in what she assumed must have been college, given Tony’s MIT sweatshirt in the photo. A more recent one, though not from the last few years, of Bruce and Vision at the summit of some peak, from one of their boys holidays. Vision looked so genuinely happy in them, Wanda tried to envision photos of them from just now to think if he looked the same. She needed to start taking more photos, or just taking any photos of him, really or she would reach September of next year with no evidence that their year together had even happened. She wished someone had taken a photo of them on their wedding day, which sounded ridiculous, she knew that, but she had nothing to commemorate the day other than the vague memory; she’d been so stressed she remembered very little. Apart from when they kissed, she had no trouble remembering that. Trying to shift that memory from her head, she turned to look at the shelves which were stuffed full of things Vision only needed occasionally. She spotted his college degree, nicely framed but clearly forgotten about, wedged between three old textbooks. On the floor, squished in next to an old briefcase and some old clay plant pots, was a large cardboard box with ‘CHRISTMAS’ scrawled out in Vision’s handwriting along the side. She dragged it through to the living room and settled in to sort through the decorations. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Vision arrived home around six to find Wanda sat cross legged amongst a mess of sparkly decorations. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Busy afternoon?” He said with a smile as he hung up his coat. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ve got so much stuff! Too much for one tree, surely?” Wanda said, holding up a beautiful crystalline bauble to the light. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“When my mother died I cleared out the nicer of the Christmas decorations from her things too, that’s why I have so much. We can just put our favourites on, do you have any decorations in storage with the rest of your things?” He asked as he came over to join her on the floor. Wanda had put all of her old things into storage when she had moved in with Vision (a rental that he had insisted on paying for). </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No I don’t really have anything,” she fiddled with a decoration, embarrassed for some reason. “I haven’t put up a tree since Pietro died. I’m not really sure why I bought this one, it just felt like we should have one.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Vision took her hands gently and said, “I’m glad you feel more ready to enjoy the holiday and I’m privileged that it should be with me. We should go out and choose a few decorations together, that way you’ll have some of your own.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t need anything, it’s only one Christmas,” Wanda said, trying to brush off any serious conversation. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His face threatened to frown before he thought the better of it and instead said, “Well I would like you to have something, it will remind me of you next Christmas. Also we haven’t seen much of each other since the start of the month, it would be a good excuse for us to spend some time together.” Vision rarely said anything nonchalantly; he was the most earnest person Wanda had ever met, so she would need to work out what emotion he was trying to hide with his tone. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok, we’ll make it a date, Christmas shopping on Saturday, does that work for you?” Wanda asked, choosing her words very carefully. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s a date,” Vision said, in that same unreadable tone. “Shall we get to decorating the tree then? We can save a good spot for your decoration.” He moved over to her neatly untangled tree lights and looked at the tree in the corner. “Lights first?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She just nodded in reply and they began decorating the tree. They worked well around each other, each consulting the other on the exact positions of certain decorations, with Wanda standing back when Vision was placing decorations that were higher up on the tree. They chatted about Christmas growing up, a subject Wanda had rarely revisited. When they reached a lull, Vision pulled back to look at the tree. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Wanda, what do you usually do in January?” He asked, as he adjusted a small glass ornament in the uppermost branches. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She looked at him, confused. “What do you mean? The same as usual, go to work, be happy that the festive season is over but miss the extra tips from the holidays.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s just that I’ve been invited to speak at a conference in Edinburgh in Scotland at the end of January and, well, I was wondering if you might like to come? I get to bring a plus one and usually go to this particular event by myself as it's hosted in a different city every year but I thought perhaps you might like a break? If your work will allow you to take the time off of course,” Vision said nervously, still focusing wholly on the tree and very obviously avoiding Wanda’s eye.  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“A conference, huh? Sounds kind of boring,” she said, trying to lighten up the tension between him as she tried to stop her mind from racing at the potential implications of travelling abroad with Vision. Her and Vision in a new city, in a hotel, eating in restaurants every night, just the two of them for a few days, no one else. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well I am a guest speaker for Edinburgh University so it would only be that part I would have to go to, plus the gala dinner on the last night. But we would have plenty of time to explore the city,” Vision said and he looked at her now as he actively tried to make the trip sound more attractive, as if she needed any convincing. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I would love to come,” she said and gave him a glowing smile, which he returned with a look of relief. “Jimmy is really good about us taking vacation as long as we don’t try to take busy nights like New Years Eve or Valentines Day off, he’s pretty easy going. How long would the trip be?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I have to be at the conference on two different days, but I thought five days would give us a bit of time to actually see a bit of the city,” Vision replied, his face still bright with her acceptance. “The conference will set me up with a hotel but I’m sure there will be no issue with adding a few extra nights onto the booking.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I haven’t been on vacation in years, I want to get planning now,” Wanda said, examining the tree with her hands on her hips. “Does the tree look finished to you?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Vision didn’t even look at the tree, instead he looked at Wanda with a knowing smile. “Wanda, would you like me to go and get my laptop so we can start planning our trip?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“If you insist,” she grinned back at him as he got up to retrieve his laptop. They settled side by side on the sofa and Wanda ordered them some dinner whilst Vision checked the trip itinerary to see the hotel they were staying at. The night ran on, with Wanda taking neat notes in one of Vision’s notebooks as he scrolled through recommendations for things to do in Edinburgh, whilst the lights from their newly decorated twinkled in the corner. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>*****</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Vision sat on the sofa, disinterestedly flicking through the TV channels. His work week had exhausted him but they were finally done for the holidays. He had seen barely any of Wanda after their Christmas shopping date last weekend; so little of her that he had no idea what she was up to this evening. It was the last Friday before Christmas and he had arrived home late and Wanda had been in the shower when he got home. They had shared a brief greeting as she left the bathroom but she had hurried off as soon as was polite, and he was yet to be informed as to what her evening plans were. He was considering two very similar sounding thriller films when he heard Wanda’s door click open down the hall. She appeared from her room and he turned to see her when he heard the click of high heels coming down the hallway. As soon as he looked, he wished he hadn’t. His breath caught in his throat at the sight of her. Her red hair was styled in loose waves and her makeup was dark yet subtle. She wore a dark red satin dress, with a thigh slit almost high enough to be deemed inappropriate. She looked unbelievable and Vision crossed his legs over as he watched her come towards him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What? You never seen a woman in a dress before?” Wanda joked as she arrived at the sofa and pulled her phone out of her clutch. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I… uh… you..” Vision stuttered before collecting himself. “What are you wearing? I mean, where are you going?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m an office Christmas party date,” she replied, not looking up from her phone. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“A date?” he echoed, running his eyes over her silhouette, which was even better up close. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The fabric clung to her perfectly, sitting around her hips and showing off her waist. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah just my friend Bucky. He normally would go to office parties alone but there’s this guy in his office who he has a crush on and wants to grab the attention of as well as some girl who won’t leave him alone. I am simultaneously arm candy and a deterrent. The things a girl will do for an open bar.” She finally looked up and smiled at him, and his heart faltered at the sight of her. She perched on the arm of the couch, directly next to him, her perfume was sharp and spicy. “What’s your exciting plan for tonight then? One of two boring movies?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Vision blinked and realised the TV screen was still showing the film options. “Not boring movies, just something I don’t have to focus on after this week at work. I need to unwind.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You can come with if you like, I’m sure Bucky won’t mind,” she said softly. “Though my Uber is six minutes away so I hope you can change fast.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He hadn’t intended his response to gear him up for an invite but his mind raced through the idea of going with her anyway. Changing into a suit, drinking champagne in a room full of strangers, watching Wanda charm her friends’ colleagues into doing what he wanted. Seeing her glittering, in her element, smiling at people other than him, making people laugh. But then maybe she would ask him to dance, since she wouldn’t know anyone else there either and she would likely succeed as a wingman, then she would be left without someone to dance with. The image of her pressed close to him, dressed like she was now, close enough that the only thing he could smell was that intoxicating perfume, consumed his mind for only a passing moment. No, what was he thinking. They had a contract. There were rules. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I think I would prefer the company of a glass of wine and a mindless movie, enjoy yourself though,” he didn’t mean his tone to sound so flat. What might have been disappointment flickered across her face, then she righted herself as her phone pinged. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Right, well, that’s the Uber almost here. I’ll not be back too late, but don’t wait up for me,” she paused and looked at him, expecting some sort of response to read his tone but he couldn’t muster any words and returned to scrolling through the movie options. She lingered for a moment longer, as if she had something to say, then whirled around and left the apartment, leaving Vision alone with echoes of her heels clicking down to the elevator and a fantasy image of her pressed close to him whilst they danced the night away.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Vision registered very little of the film. He spent his whole night flitting between refilling his wine glass and checking his phone for messages, not that he was expecting anyone to be in touch. It only took three glasses of wine before the feelings he had suppressed earlier began to rise in him again. After picking at some leftovers and continuing to ignore the essential dialogue of his film, his tipsy mind wandered to thoughts about Wanda. Beautiful, brilliant Wanda who was currently at a Christmas party for her friend, charming people left right and centre so that this Bucky could get what he wanted. Wanda had mentioned Bucky a few times, he recognised the name from her stories and the occasional time when she had gone out to meet him when Vision had been at home. He opened Instagram (an app which Tony had insisted he download, though he rarely posted on), and typed ‘bucky’ into the search of Wanda’s followers and clicked on the only account that popped up- ‘bigbuckybarnes’. The account was, fatefully, not private and Vision scrolled through the posts of the very attractive young man, until he reached a photo from before he and Wanda were married. ‘Bucky’ had an arm slung casually around Wanda’s shoulders and she was smiling behind a pair of 70s style sunglasses. The caption read ‘only this witch knows how to make summer really hot @wandamaximoff’. That was enough to get Vision’s heart rate up, no mean feat considering the volume of lethargy-inducing wine he was consuming. He scrolled back to the top and clicked on Bucky’s story, tapped through a few reposts before holding his finger down to see a picture of Bucky and Wanda in the mirror of an elevator, posted an hour ago. Wanda was smiling brightly into the mirror, Bucky had some stupid expression on his stupid handsome face. The next thing on his story was a boomerang of Wanda twirling away from Bucky, her dress spinning out around her. That was enough to make Vision’s palms sweat and he threw his phone onto the coffee table with a grunt. He sat up, refilled his wine glass and placed the empty bottle next to his discarded phone and did the worst thing possible- he thought. No, he imagined. Imagined handsome Bucky asking Wanda to go with him with some silly ploy about an office crush that was really just an excuse to get Wanda to go out with him. Imagined Wanda, bubbly and perfect from champagne dancing with him, flirting with him. Staring into the eyes of a man younger than Vision, better looking than Vision and probably funnier than him too. He should have gone with her when she asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Time ticked on and his cycle of drinking wine and moping continued. He was fortunately too drunk to consider the reality of any of his feelings, attributing most of them to the fact he hadn’t had enough sex before entering into the contract of their marriage. This jealousy was purely unrequited sexual tension that his body had wound up over the past months. If he were less drunk, he would have reasoned that he never had much sex before Wanda either, casual sex not really being his thing. But drunk Vision believed himself to be a true slut and the wine prevented his sober reasoning from breaking through to suggest that his feelings may be rooted in something other than libido. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He checked the time just after midnight, after waking out of a woozy doze. The wine was still fuzzy in his brain but he started when he heard irregular footsteps coming down the hallway outside the flat door. He sat up a bit straighter and heard Wanda fumbling to get her key in the lock. The door swung open and she stumbled in and spotted him on the couch immediately. She smiled dopily at him, happy with alcohol.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I told you not to stay up silly,” she said. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I couldn’t sleep,” Vision replied, trying to cover his relief that she had arrived alone and not looking dishevelled enough that suggested Bucky had made any real moves on her. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“How was your movie?” She asked as she unfastened the buckles on the strap of her heels. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Something warm pooled in his chest as he realised that she remembered what he had been doing despite her drunkenness. “It was ok, I can’t say I paid much attention.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Any of that left?” Wanda said, gesturing to the two wine bottles sat on the coffee table. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh yes, perhaps enough for two or three more glasses,” Vision replied. He watched her take a wine glass out of the cupboard and walk from the kitchen to the living room. The dress was too long for her without her heels and pooled around her ankles when she walked. She slumped down next to him, and directly next to him, shoulder to shoulder. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s make it enough for two then,” she smiled and held her glass out expectantly. He tentatively returned the smile, then reached forward to get the bottle of wine before filling both of their glasses and settling back into the couch cushions. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She clinked her glass to his, “An early Merry Christmas!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Merry Christmas, Wanda,” he replied softly. They maintained eye contact whilst they drank and when Wanda parted from her glass she settled her head onto his shoulder. He had to work very hard to keep still, not wanting to disturb her. Desperate to distract himself from this sudden closeness, he asked, “How was the party?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh alright, as office parties for sportswear companies go,” she said sleepily. “I served my purpose, I lost Bucky around eleven, then found him and Steve in a too-naked-for-my-eyes situation on the stairwell, so that’s when I decided to head home. Mission accomplished!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His heart danced at hearing this and he was suddenly overcome with guilt that he had thought that she would do anything to jeopardize their contract, their marriage. She must have felt him tensing as she added quietly, “You should have come, it would have been more fun for me to have another friend there. Or at least someone who was interested in dancing with me. All dressed up just so my best friend could get some dick. What a waste huh?” Her voice was joking in tone, but something about the sentiment sat with Vision. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It wasn’t a waste. You looked beautiful,” he said quietly, before even realising the words were out of his mouth, he flushed slightly with embarrassment, but hoped that she would attribute the red of his cheeks to the wine. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She looked up at him from where her head was on his shoulder, their mouths were mere inches apart. “You really think so, Vizh?” Her voice was so soft, almost a whisper, and it would be so easy to just kiss her there and then and it seemed like she was leaning in, though that could be the wine telling him that. And the nickname was so wonderful, so wonderfully personal. But he couldn’t. Not when their signatures sat on the bottom of that godforsaken document, stating entirely explicitly that Vision would not make any advances on Wanda at all during the year of their marriage and he would not ruin that just because of a few glasses of wine. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course I mean it. Why else be fake married if I can’t compliment you when you look nice?” He forced lightness into his tone and this time registered the flash of disappointment in her eyes before she turned her face away from him, though she kept her head on his shoulder. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks Vizh,” she said simply and took another sip of wine. They sat there like that for god knows how long, sipping occasionally from their wine glasses, Wanda’s head tucked perfectly onto his shoulder. Like this, he could almost imagine that they were a real couple. Not that he wanted that. Or so he kept repeating to himself in his drunken state.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Vision hadn’t even realised he was nodding off when he woke up to the sun streaming in through the windows of the living room. He blinked quickly and shook his head slightly, trying to work out what was going on. He was on the couch still, that much was clear. It was another moment before he noticed the warm weight on his chest and looked down to see Wanda, her head resting on his chest and arm curled around his side, fast asleep. He looked across the couch to see that they were sprawled across the couch together and he had to immediately chastise himself for being thrilled about it. He rested his head back on the armrest, listening to the gentle sound of Wanda’s breathing. Lying there, in the sunlight of early winter morning, Vision felt he would have been happy to never move again. And that was the first time he admitted he was starting to fall for Wanda Maximoff, albeit to no one but himself. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>*****</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Christmas day arrived as quickly as it usually did and for the first time in years, Wanda had found herself looking forward to it. They hadn’t gotten up early, though early enough in Wanda’s opinion. The whole day had been perfect. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Their morning had felt as if it occurred in soft focus, Vision still sleepy behind his glasses and in his tartan dressing gown as they sat beside the tree to open and exchange gifts. Wanda had been equally surprised and delighted to find she had a gift from Tony and Pepper that Vision had discreetly placed under the tree and her gift had included Tony’s sketched out redesign plans for the bar with a note from Tony reading ‘This has been bothering me since Thanksgiving. Pass them on to your boss, then let Vision tell me how much of a genius I am’. When Wanda had read the note out, Vision had simply rolled his eyes good naturedly.  Darcy and Monica had chipped in together to get Vision a nice bottle of scotch, which he had been so pleased with. Then had come the time for Wanda and Vision to give each other their gifts. Wanda had been nervous beforehand; as you should be when giving a present to someone you care about. Vision’s first gift from her had been a disposable camera, which she had quickly felt the need to explain. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I know most people just use their phone cameras nowadays but I thought this would be good for taking around Edinburgh with us,” she had said. “And when I was getting the Christmas decorations from the office cupboard I noticed you only have like three photos pinned up which must be rectified as soon as possible. Also I figured this way Tony can’t force you to post on Instagram!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Vision had been so genuinely pleased with it he couldn’t say anything so she had decided to go straight on to the rest of her gift, which was on the balcony. Vision had looked adorably excited as she had led him to the balcony and opened the door to a blast of cold air, where Vision opened his eyes to see a little greenhouse. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You always say that you don’t like winter because you can’t keep plants out here, well, now you can,” she had explained nervously as he had gone over to examine it. She had grown more nervous as he took his time before turning to her and pulling her into an unbelievably tight hug, whispering a thank you into her hair as she smiled into his chest. They had returned inside after that and now it was Vision’s turn to watch nervously. She had first opened her smallest gift, a handmade bookmark that he had embroidered himself with her initials in it. He had made a joke out of it, “I can’t watch you rifling through the pages any more to find your spot, this is really a gift for myself,” but she had quickly shut him down with thanks, it was such a pretty little gift. Next had been a few nice editions of her favourites of the books she had read so far since moving in with him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You didn’t have to get so much, I feel like I’m opening hundreds of things,” she had said as she unwrapped the third of her gifts, which was a set of matching jewelry, earrings and a necklace inset with delicately cut rubies. “Vision, it’s so beautiful,” she had breathed, looking them over as he had watched on, wringing his hands slightly out of fear. “Thank you,” she repeated. The last one was a slightly strange shape and Vision had adjusted his glasses on his face and started to explain as she unwrapped. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“This one is actually quite funny now, since I’ve opened your presents from me,” he had said as she had torn off the paper to reveal a beautiful leather bound photo album. She had flicked slowly through the pages, becoming embarrassingly teary-eyed as she looked at old photos of her and her brother, Darcy and Monica from more recently. There were lots of blank pages at the end. “I thought that space could be used for photos from Edinburgh and after. It seems we anticipated each others’ gifts,” she had looked over at him, still watching with bated breath and had lunged at him, wrapping her arms as tightly round him as he had before.  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you, Vision, thank you. No one has ever gotten me anything this thoughtful before, thank you so much,” she had choked out as her tears had wanted to overwhelm her. They had stayed like that for a while, before Vision had made some silly comment about breakfast being the most important meal of the day. They had tidied up the wrapping paper and gotten ready for the day slowly, taking their time with breakfast and cups of tea and coffee. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Eventually, they had decided on going out for a walk around the city together. The cold weather was welcome to Wanda, as it meant she had an excuse to snuggle closer to Vision as they strolled around the quiet city arm in arm, rather than the usual hand in hand. Vision talked about his plans for his greenhouse, which were already plentiful and then they talked more about their plans for Edinburgh, then for the following months. They never talked about their plans for the new year that was approaching as a whole, both skirting around the obvious fact that come September, they would not be together like this anymore. Wanda’s avoidance of the subject was purely selfish- she didn’t want to think about it, not ever, but especially not today. Not today where everything was so perfect; the sky was clear, the sun was bright, the air was fresh and Vision was with her, tall, warm, constant, brilliant. She would allow herself the indulgent fantasy of forever with Vision as a gift to herself, for today at least. She said that, though she knew realistically that she would keep thinking like this any time Vision said something particularly clever or did something particularly endearing. As they walked she looked up and studied his face as he spoke and they came to a halt as they waited for the crossing light to change and he looked down at her. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What is it?” He asked her with a small smile. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Merry Christmas, Vizh,” she said and, seizing on the joy of the day, she stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him quickly but properly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He looked at her with surprise from behind his glasses as their lips parted, before his gaze softened. “Merry Christmas, Wanda,” he replied softly and they walked home arm in arm, together. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
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  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Wanda and Vision head to Edinburgh.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello and here is the longest chapter yet! Things to be aware of; I am from Edinburgh so it was hard to not go into too much detail about my home city but I hope I've kept it vague enough that it still makes sense and second thing, slight spoiler warning, the smut does start here, so if that's not your thing you have been warned!<br/>As ever, I appreciate all of the kudos and comments and hope you enjoy this one, I've put a lot of care into this chapter so I hope it resonates &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>New Years Eve came and went with little excitement, and it wasn’t long before life returned to normal for Vision and Wanda. Wanda had been working New Years Eve and Vision had gone to the Starks’ party out at their house so they hadn’t been able to spend the holiday together as Vision would have liked. He had missed her at Tony’s party, though he was used to going by himself to Tony and Pepper’s bigger parties, he spent more time wishing Wanda was with him than could be considered normal. They had never addressed the kiss from Christmas Day, in fact they had fallen almost immediately back into their routine after that day which was probably how it should be. Wanda had kissed him, of that he was certain, so nothing had been breached in terms of the contract however he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her since. It was lucky that Wanda worked evening shifts at the bar as it meant Vision could come home, lock his bedroom door as a precaution and work his feelings about Wanda out long before she arrived home. He was always hit by a wave of guilt as he lay alone in his post orgasmic haze, thinking how wrong it was for him to think of Wanda in that way. But it couldn’t be helped. And it kept his feelings about her at bay, he was better able to control himself around her, not that she made it easy. He wasn’t sure if it was just a normal progression for two people living together (he hadn’t lived with anyone since college) but they spent a lot more time in each others’ space than they used to. Wanda always sat as close as possible to him when they watched movies or TV together and she was always touching him in little ways whilst they cooked together. Hand holding had also become commonplace, much to Vision’s pleasure and distress. It was a bizarrely intimate thing, a public expression of their being connected closely in some way and it threw Vision’s mind into further emotional turmoil. The only thing he knew for sure was that he enjoyed the closeness he and Wanda shared and, as guilty as he may feel about it, he wasn’t going to do anything to change it. </p><p> </p><p>“So you’re in Edinburgh for a few days at the end of the month, right?” Bruce asked Vision. He, Tony and Vision were sat in Vision’s office having lunch. </p><p> </p><p>“Yes,” Vision replied simply. </p><p> </p><p>“And, just so I’m clear on this, you are going with Wanda, the only woman I have ever seen you this devoted to and you are going as <em> friends </em>?” Bruce asked, his tone heavy with skepticism, though he was too polite to say what he was thinking. </p><p> </p><p>“Firstly, I’m not devoted to Wanda, I just care about her. And secondly, what is wrong with going on a trip with a friend? I’ve been on trips with you both before, I had the option to bring a plus one and bringing Wanda means neither of you get left out,” Vision said, desperate to avoid discussions about his feelings for Wanda. A desperation that his friends could definitely detect and whilst Bruce may be mild mannered enough to let it go, Tony would not be quite so merciful. </p><p> </p><p>“Oh sure it means nothing, Vision, no one is believing that bullshit,” Tony said before he took a quick sip from his coffee. “You’re convincing no one with that. You’re taking her halfway across the world on a work trip that consists of about twelve hours of actual work, despite you being out of the country for five days. This is not a work trip.” </p><p> </p><p>“It is,” Vision protested weakly, knowing the fight was lost as Tony leaned in to make the rest of his point.</p><p> </p><p>“Look, buddy, stop beating yourself up. You’re not a bad guy for feeling things for her, that’s allowed. And hey, we’re thrilled for you,” he threw Bruce a look and Bruce nodded vigorously in response, “But you have to do something about it. Now before you cry about it, I don’t mean go home and take her to bed,” Tony continued, then added, “Though that wouldn’t be the worst approach.” </p><p> </p><p>“Tony,” Bruce warned. </p><p> </p><p>“Right, I mean you have to be an adult and maybe speak about it? I won’t lie, I was not paying attention to your chemistry at Thanksgiving but Pepper was, she spoke about it all through the holidays, she was devastated when Wanda had to work New Years because she wanted to confirm her beliefs. If you speak to Wanda, I think it's very probable that you will find she feels something similar or even the same to you,” Tony said. </p><p> </p><p>“It’s not an appropriate conversation to have, given our circumstances,” Vision said, staring into his mug to avoid their eyes. </p><p> </p><p>“Vision,” said Bruce, “Do you think you’re maybe using the contract to avoid addressing it? As an excuse to ignore how you feel?” </p><p> </p><p>Vision looked up to see them both watching him expectantly and he felt completely trapped. They were both right, of course. He would love nothing more to tell Wanda how he felt, if he knew exactly how he felt about her. The strange nature of how they had met made it hard to interpret a lot of his feelings. </p><p> </p><p>“I’m not sure what there is to ignore, in terms of feelings,” Vision said eventually, still not exactly answering them. </p><p> </p><p>“The way you talk about her sounds an awful lot like love,” said Bruce. </p><p> </p><p>“We haven’t known each other long enough for that,” replied Vision. </p><p> </p><p>“Hold up there, Vision, more bullshit,” Tony said, waving a hand through the air to dismiss Vision’s excuses. “Maybe as little as three months isn’t enough time in a regular relationship but you know better than anyone that your relationship isn’t normal. You met, then a week later were married and moved in together. It took Pepper four years of dating me before she moved in and another two years before we got married. You two were thrown straight into the deep end, it’s only sensible that the whole process would intensify your relationship or at least speed things up a bit- you aren’t a normal couple.”</p><p> </p><p>“I suppose you’re right, the circumstances were unusual” Vision finally conceded. “I’ll need to think some more about it.” </p><p> </p><p>“I think that’s the opposite of what needs done, but you are the boss, quite literally,” Tony said with a grin as he checked the time on his watch. “And lunch is over, so the lecture is over. I’ve gotta get downstairs for a little department meeting, one of the interns, Peter, is exhaustingly attentive so I don’t want to be late.” He thumped Vision affectionately on the shoulder as he passed by him to leave, “You’ll work this out, buddy. If in doubt, channel me, do what I would do” he said and then headed out of the office. </p><p> </p><p>“Definitely do not do that,” said Bruce. “He is right though, you’ll work it out. You’ll know if it’s the right thing, you’ll be able to feel it. Have a good afternoon, Vision,” Bruce then followed in Tony’s footsteps, leaving Vision alone in the empty silence of his office. He sighed and moved to stand at the window, looking out across the exceptionally grey city outside as the sky threatened rain. </p><p> </p><p>When he and Wanda had married, he couldn’t have imagined himself in this position. In fact, he had imagined the opposite. He had happily consigned himself to a year of having a roommate who he saw occasionally, with whom he shared a space but did not really live with. Other than the adjustment of sharing his apartment with someone, he hadn’t really expected his life to change at all. But then Wanda had been, well, Wanda and had changed his entire world. It was illogical, he knew, to try and argue that the domesticity between he and Wanda was a normal thing for friends and he definitely couldn’t justify his feelings about her, regardless of the conflicts he felt in terms of measuring his emotions against the morality of his desire. But he and Wanda’s marriage was immoral in itself; offering children up to appease parental mistakes was hardly morally sound and so to a degree, trying to figure out the morals of the whole thing was extremely complex. Vision had very few certainties that he could use to inform his decision making, though one definite fact stood out from the others- whatever happened between them had to be Wanda’s decision. Vision was partly conscious that he was protecting himself; by giving Wanda the power there was less chance of him being rejected as he couldn’t be sure if she felt anything for him. They were friends, of that he was certain. But Wanda could have anyone she wanted, there was no reason why she would settle for him of all people. He would also hate to cause any upset between them by announcing feelings that she might not share, they were so comfortable living together just now and Vision would rather live in silence rather than jeopardise their friendship. Wanda was probably waiting out the year with him so she could go and find someone who she really wanted, rather than someone she was tied to against her will.</p><p> </p><p> The rain finally broke from the clouds in a sudden burst, the city was soon obscured by a hazy veil of raindrops. Vision turned from the window, his decision made. He would talk to Wanda after their trip to Edinburgh. They were both so excited for the trip and Vision was not going to take that excitement away in the name of his feelings. Tony and Bruce would likely say that he should do it sooner rather than later, but Vision nodded to himself as he sat down at his desk, further cementing the decision in his mind. He would be able to cope around Wanda for a few more weeks, they got back from Edinburgh on January 31st and he would speak to her as soon as possible when they returned. Tony kept mentioning the trip and how it would be impossible to resist the sexual tension in a new city, the romance of being in a place where nobody knew them would be too enticing. Vision did not share his concerns; he was sure that he could control himself, he had managed this long after all, what could happen that would cause his resolve to crumble now?</p><p> </p><p>He sat at his desk with a sigh and stared at his computer screen, thinking about all of the work he ought to get done that afternoon. He didn’t often take vacations, not as often as he ought to and was nervous to be away for a full work week, though he trusted his staff, he didn’t love the idea of the company running without him. Just as he was about to get started on replying to the never ending backlog of Christmas vacation emails, his phone started to ring. He pulled it out of his pocket to see Wanda’s name flash on the screen and answered immediately. </p><p> </p><p>“Hello,” he said questioningly. </p><p> </p><p>“Hi, Vizh, how’s work?” Wanda said brightly and he found himself smiling just at the sound of her voice. </p><p> </p><p>“Work is alright, how’s home?” Vision replied. </p><p> </p><p>“Home is ok but I did call for a reason,” Wanda said. “Do you have any luggage I can borrow? I want to get packing but I realised I don’t have a proper suitcase because I haven’t had the money for a real vacation in years.”</p><p> </p><p>“Why do you need a suitcase now? We’re not going for another fortnight,” Vision said, smiling even more. </p><p> </p><p>“I just want to be prepared that’s all. I’m going to do a practice pack,” Wanda said matter-of-factly. </p><p> </p><p>“A practice pack? Is that a thing people do?” Vision asked. </p><p> </p><p>“It’s a thing I do,” Wanda said simply. “If you don’t have a spare then no worries, maybe I can just share with you? I know it might be awkward because we’re staying in different rooms but I’m sure we can work something out.” </p><p> </p><p>Vision paused before replying, momentarily dissociating as he realised what Tony had been talking about when he’d mentioned the intimacy that travelling abroad together would undoubtedly cause and Wanda’s discussion of suitcases was enough to get Vision’s heart rate up. Perhaps there were more issues on the horizon than he had anticipated. </p><p> </p><p>“Vizh?” Wanda said. “I shouldn’t have called during the day I know you’re working, I’m sorry. I just got excited that’s all, this can wait till tonight.”</p><p> </p><p>The sound of her dejected voice grounded Vision again. “No, no don’t apologise you weren’t interrupting anything. I do have a suitcase you can borrow. There are two at the back of my wardrobe, help yourself to either.” </p><p> </p><p>“Great! Thank you so much,” Wanda said and Vision was relieved to hear her tone had picked back up again. “Will you be home at normal time tonight?” </p><p> </p><p>He could hear her moving through the apartment, presumably to his room to get the case out. “Yes I should be.”</p><p> </p><p>“Perfect, I’m going to try that new pasta recipe for dinner tonight which I’m excited about too,” she said. More shuffling around could be heard on her end, followed by a crash. “Oops,” she said with a giggle. “I promise to tidy the mess I’ve made.” </p><p> </p><p>Vision’s face hurt from smiling. “I’ll leave you to do your practice packing, I really ought to do some work.” </p><p> </p><p>“Okay, I’ll see you for dinner,” Wanda said brightly. </p><p> </p><p>“See you then.” </p><p> </p><p>“Bye!” Wanda said. </p><p> </p><p>“Goodbye Wanda,” Vision said and the line cut to silence. He stared at his dark computer screen and rested his head in his hands. Whatever he was feeling for Wanda was maybe going to be more difficult to ignore than he hoped, though he was going to do his level best to avoid addressing it. With that, he sighed and logged into his computer in the vain hope that an afternoon of work would dull the rush of feelings he would undoubtedly have when he arrived home later and saw Wanda.  </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>*****</b>
</p><p>“I googled it you know,” Darcy said as she watched Wanda and Monica pack her suitcase for the final time. </p><p> </p><p>“Googled what?” Wanda asked as she threw in a spare pair of jeans, thinking that Scotland had notoriously bad weather in January. </p><p> </p><p>“Edinburgh, the place you’re going with the man you are not sleeping with, is one of the most romantic cities in the world. A weird coincidence, huh?” Darcy said.</p><p> </p><p>Wanda refused to make eye contact. “I already told you, it’s just a work trip that I’m riding on the coattails of. Nothing romantic going on at all.” </p><p> </p><p>Darcy scoffed in response, “You mean you’ve got nothing at all planned? You’re going all that way just to hear him talk about his job?” </p><p> </p><p>“Well, no but just cause we’ve got stuff planned doesn’t mean it’s necessarily romantic,” Wanda said, though she wasn’t sure she believed what she was saying. “Does it Mon?” She turned to Monica who was helping her pack because she was much better at organising than Wanda. </p><p> </p><p>Monica stopped folding the shirt she had and looked at Wanda fully. “I believe you two fully intend it to be an entirely platonic trip. I just don’t think either of you will be able to keep it that way, the tension between you is already unbearable, everything will be heightened away from home.” </p><p> </p><p>“Maybe I’m packing the wrong things,” Wanda said, looking skeptically at the very sensible clothes she’d packed, thinking about the weather forecast for the trip and the fact that she and Vision only had one properly fancy event on their itinerary. </p><p> </p><p>Monica looked slightly offended at that, “I helped you organise your things so no, you absolutely have the right things packed.”</p><p> </p><p>“That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t sneak in some nice lingerie, in case of emergencies,” Darcy said and she laughed at the look of panic Wanda threw her. They were leaving for Scotland the next morning and had asked her friends round to help her pack, in part because Monica really was very good at this sort of thing but also to calm some of her nerves about the trip. They weren’t doing much to help ease the nerves. </p><p> </p><p>“Wanda,” Monica said, sitting on the end of the bed and looking at Wanda. “You’re going to have a good time on this trip, whatever happens,” she threw a warning look at Darcy to make sure she didn’t add anything, “Vision cares about you, that much is obvious to us. There’s no way you won’t enjoy yourself. So go on your paid for vacation and enjoy yourself! Stop letting your worries about the trip get in the way of you enjoying it before you’ve even left.” </p><p> </p><p>“Yeah,” said Darcy. “But I do think it's worth thinking about why you’re so worried. If there’s really nothing between you two, then why is the idea of going stressing you out so much?”</p><p> </p><p>Monica looked at Darcy then and said, “You know Darcy, when you don’t say dumb stuff you are able to make some really good points. You give good advice, sometimes.” </p><p> </p><p>“I do not appreciate your surprised tone, Monica. I have a degree in political science, remember. I only <em> pretend </em>to be an idiot,” Darcy said and they all laughed. The front door opened and closed interrupting the conversation.</p><p> </p><p>“Wanda, I’m home!” Vision’s voice called down the hall. </p><p> </p><p>“Oh, the domesticity,” Darcy said, faux-wistfully and Wanda pushed her playfully. </p><p> </p><p>“We’ll get out of your hair so you two can get properly sorted for your early flight,” Monica said, standing and observing her neatly organised work in Wanda’s borrowed suitcase. “You’re all sorted I think.” </p><p> </p><p>“Apart from that lingerie,” said Darcy with a wink and a grin. Wanda just shook her head in response as they headed down the hall to the living room where they met Vision in the kitchen, though he had his back to them. </p><p> </p><p>“Wanda, I thought we should just order in tonight because- oh,” he turned and saw that Wanda’s friends were there too. “Hi, are you two staying for dinner too? We can order in for four?” </p><p> </p><p>“We’re good, thank you though,” said Monica in response. </p><p> </p><p>“Yeah we’re gonna head home and think about how we aren’t going on an all expenses paid trip to Scotland tomorrow,” Darcy said and Wanda rolled her eyes as Vision smiled. </p><p> </p><p>“Well I’m sure New York will be just as fun,” he said and glanced at Wanda. </p><p> </p><p>“Right, we’re going,” Monica said, looking between the two of them before taking Darcy by the crook of the arm and dragging her to the front door. Wanda followed them to hug them goodbye. </p><p> </p><p>“See you next week sometime,” said Monica as they hugged. “I’m sure you’ll have a great time.” </p><p> </p><p>“Thanks Mon,” Wanda replied, then she moved to hug Darcy. </p><p> </p><p>“Just promise that I get to come on the next vacation,” Darcy said and Wanda laughed. “Also have fun, I’m sure it’ll be great whatever happens.” </p><p> </p><p>“I’ll see you both soon,” Wanda said and she watched her friends head down the corridor, they waved as the elevator doors shut, cutting them from Wanda’s view. She closed the door and turned to see Vision waiting at the kitchen table, holding a paper menu for the Chinese place they liked to order from. </p><p> </p><p>“Dinner?” He said, pulling his phone from his pocket. </p><p> </p><p>“Just the usual please,” she said with a smile as he dialled the number. </p><p> </p><p>They ate dinner together as usual, talking through their plans for the coming week and Wanda thought more about what her friends had said, particularly about her worries. They were right, Vision would ensure she had a brilliant time and she hoped she would help him enjoy the trip more too. She was still thinking about her other feelings for him, her desire for him was only increasing over time and Darcy and Monica were right, it would be harder to avoid on a trip together. But maybe the trip would let Vision loosen up a bit and he would be more receptive to any subtle advances she might make. Whatever was going to happen, she wouldn’t have long to wait. </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>*</b>
</p><p>Edinburgh was a beautiful city. It was grey, like New York, Wanda thought but undeniably beautiful. The old buildings that made up the tightly packed streets were unique to anything she had seen before, not that she was particularly well travelled. The cab ride from the airport to the hotel had been less exciting than she would have liked, as she had forgotten about the time difference and they had arrived in Scotland in the early evening so it was too dark to really see much. The hotel was clearly an older building, though the interior was bright and lavish and she and Vision’s neighbouring rooms were large and had spectacular views of the city. Vision had been too tired out from the trip to do proper dinner, so they hadn’t seen too much of each other that night as he had retreated to his room to go over his presentation and make sure he got enough sleep before his presentation the following afternoon. Wanda hadn’t minded having the evening to herself though she was excited to get properly started on their sight seeing. </p><p> </p><p>Vision’s presentation at Edinburgh University was at midday and Wanda found herself sat in an audience full of faculty and students, waiting patiently for Vision’s talk to start. She looked at the professional photo of him in the little program of events she had collected when they separated at the front door. She traced over the photo as she read his bio, ‘<em> Victor Shade, CEO of RedTech. Victor Shade comes to share his experience of revolutionising artificial intelligence and digital security and how his ingenuity turned a floundering corporation into a world leader in the technology sector </em>’. She still felt strange whenever she saw his name written out in full, he was only ever Vision to her. Victor Shade was some strange business persona that she didn’t know, the world could have him. Vision was hers. </p><p> </p><p>She heard two boys sat in the seats in front of her, students she assumed, reading out Vision’s bio and commenting on it. </p><p> </p><p>“Look at him, he’s too hot to do this job,” said the one on the left.</p><p> </p><p>“Isn’t he a bit old?” asked his friend. </p><p> </p><p>“I don’t care about age, just look at him. He could do whatever he wanted to me,” said the first boy. </p><p> </p><p>Wanda’s pulse quickened so rapidly that she had to force herself to tune out of the conversation, before she had to stop herself from interrupting their conversation and mentioning that Vision was married and maybe they should keep him out of their minds. Thankfully, the lights dimmed as Vision was introduced and he strode out on stage, looking adorably nervous but entirely gorgeous in his navy suit. He got off to a slightly shaky start, his nerves showing before he really found his footing as he talked about the products he had designed and how their applications in the industry were changing peoples’ lives. Wanda watched him, enraptured, as he pulled the audience in with his passion for his work, his humble approach to leadership and his honesty when he spoke about how much he didn’t enjoy management and how he dealt with the parts of his role he was less keen on. The talk was a little under two hours after the question and answer part at the end and before she knew it, Wanda was waiting for Vision in the foyer of the university building where the talk had been held. She waited happily, listening to little snippets of praise as people exiting his presentation passed her. </p><p> </p><p>“It wasn’t too boring, was it?” Vision asked from behind her after the foyer had emptied significantly. She turned and gave him a quick, tight hug. </p><p> </p><p>“You were amazing,” she said as he returned the hug. </p><p> </p><p>“Really?” he asked. </p><p> </p><p>“Really,” she replied with a smile. She extended her hand out to him and asked, “Shall we go and see some of the city, then? Or let you bask here in your success a little longer?” </p><p> </p><p>He took her hand and they headed out of the building together. “I need to get changed before we do any considerable sightseeing, no tourist in their right mind would wear a suit.” </p><p> </p><p>“Costume change first, then we take the city!” Wanda said, swinging their hands between them a little bit. </p><p> </p><p>The afternoon passed in a blur as most new places did. The weather was surprisingly dry, though they had both packed in case of rain and the city wasn’t too busy at this time of year so they got around fine. They went most places on foot, just wandering the streets hand in hand, stopping to look in shop windows occasionally or examine menus for potential dinner or lunch spots. The city centre was small, much more manageable than New York would be if you were visiting, they managed to see a lot of the city just in the one afternoon. The following day they had planned their trip to Edinburgh castle and had booked in at some nicer restaurants for lunch and dinner. The whole experience was unfolding into something Wanda hadn’t expected; a genuine time to relax. And it was that realisation that made her realise that her friends had been completely correct; this trip ticked every box for it being a couples’ vacation, minus the one key criteria that they weren’t actually a couple. She was just so happy to be spending any time with him, a feeling she expressed on their third night there as they wandered up the brightly lit Victoria street after dinner, heading back to their hotel slowly. </p><p> </p><p>“What are you smiling at?” Vision had asked her as they walked up the hill. </p><p> </p><p>“Nothing, really,” she answered, looking at him. “I’m just happy, that’s all.” </p><p> </p><p>He had given her the warmest smile, the kind that starts at the mouth but spreads out and lights up his whole face. “I’m happy too,” he had replied softly. And for the millionth time since meeting him, Wanda had had the urge to kiss him. And once again she ignored it, rather than disrupt the immaculate bliss that they were living in. </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>*****</b>
</p><p> </p><p>The night of the festival gala arrived and Vision would have much preferred to go out with Wanda, get dinner in a nice little quiet restaurant and maybe on to a pub afterwards for a few drinks. Instead he was tying the knot in his black tie and then knocking on Wanda’s door to see if she was ready to head downstairs. The advantage of being a guest speaker was that the hotel they had put Vision and Wanda in also happened to be the hotel they were holding the gala in, meaning that when they had had enough of the event they could head straight upstairs to bed which was ideal. Wanda opened the door to greet him and his breath caught in his throat at the sight of her. She was wearing the dress she had worn to Bucky’s Christmas party last month, only she was wearing her hair up and had the jewelry set that Vision had got her for Christmas on. As ever, she looked beautiful and he struggled to tell her. </p><p> </p><p>“You look… you look,” he had stammered a slight blush coating his cheeks as he fought for words. </p><p> </p><p>“You look great too,” Wanda said, saving him from further embarrassment. He offered her his arm which she gladly took and they headed down to the party together. The whole nature of the event was something Vision despised, namely as it required him to talk about himself with a variety of people that he had little to no interest in. Having Wanda at his side provided more promise for the evening being bearable though he still wasn’t looking forward to it. He and Wanda had had such a wonderful time over the past few days in each others’ company, it felt almost criminal that the end point of their trip would be this event where they weren’t really together. </p><p> </p><p>The room was packed with people from the international technology industry, some of them had been speakers like Vision, others were university trustees and some would just be past guests or other notable people in the industry. None of them were people Vision wanted to talk to and he would do his best to avoid as many as he could throughout the coming evening. </p><p> </p><p>They found their seats at a table full of names Vision didn’t recognise and luckily the people already seated there didn’t make much effort to engage in conversation with them beyond a general polite ‘hello’. </p><p> </p><p>Wanda looked round the room with interest. “Is this it then? We just sit for as long as is polite then we can leave?” </p><p> </p><p>Vision nodded, “That’s always what I do. I hate this sort of stuff. It’s just a room full of people who want to talk about themselves or want to talk to you in an attempt to further their career. I can think of a hundred things I would rather be doing just now.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well this year you brought a fun companion with you, so how about we make a game out of it,” Wanda said with a grin. “Every time someone kisses your ass we both take a drink. If they talk about themselves for more than two uninterrupted minutes we have to do a shot.” </p><p> </p><p>Vision looked at her and decided it couldn’t hurt to get a bit more drunk than usual. “Those sound like easy enough rules to follow.” Wanda had insisted then that they go and mingle a bit so the game could begin and it wasn’t long before they were both on their second actual drink and had each done two shots. Wanda hung about in Vision’s periphery, not really engaging in the conversations that he was being subjected to, instead keeping eye contact with him as he pretended to listen to different academics drone on about their new innovations and how they were sure RedTech would be very interested in what they had to offer. He lost her once and interrupted an English man who he never caught the name of mid sentence, excusing himself to source Wanda. He spotted her at the bar, ordering their replacements drinks and saw a young man approach and start talking to her. She seemed to be humouring him, laughed slightly at something he said and Vision had had enough alcohol that he deemed that inappropriate. He powered through the crowd to Wanda and shouldered himself into the conversation. </p><p> </p><p>“Wanda, darling,” he said, offering her a drink that he had pulled from a waiter’s tray on his way across the room. </p><p> </p><p>Her eyes widened at the pet name but gladly took the drink and turned to the man with a twinkle in her eye, “I’ve gotta go, nice to meet you though.” They headed back to the table and sat in silence, Vision trying to fight the jealousy that had bubbled up inside of him. </p><p> </p><p>“What was that about?” Wanda said eventually. </p><p> </p><p>“Nothing,” Vision lied, staring at the bubbles in the champagne intently. “I just didn’t know where you’d gone that was all.” </p><p> </p><p>“Right,” Wanda said, her voice full of disbelief. She downed the rest of her glass and looked at him as the music changed to something slower. “Wanna dance?” She asked. </p><p> </p><p>He looked at her and figured no was not an option, probably fair considering the jealous outburst that had been entirely uncalled for. “Of course,” he said and they headed to the dance floor, which was populated with couples dancing close together. He pulled her close, his hand resting on the small of her back, though he was careful not to touch her bare skin as the back of the dress was quite low and he still didn’t want her to think he was going to do anything uncouth. Wanda rested her head on his shoulder and sighed. He inhaled deeply, breathing in her smell, an intoxicating mix of perfume and alcohol. The music eventually picked up again and neither of them were keen to dance to the more uptempo music that the later night was going to consist of. </p><p> </p><p>“Another drink?” He asked her. </p><p> </p><p>“Please,” she replied and he left Wanda at the table to head to the bar. As he waited for their drinks a woman he vaguely recognised sidled up to him, standing shoulder to shoulder with him before she turned to face him. </p><p> </p><p>“Victor Shade,” she said and he stared back blankly as if he was supposed to know who she was. She was sort of pretty, he supposed. But she didn’t even compare to Wanda. She extended her hand, “Ciara McKenzie, we met in Dallas at last years’ event.” </p><p> </p><p>Vision still didn’t remember her, he wasn’t sure if that was because they had barely met or if he was just too drunk to remember. He took her hand politely anyway and smiled politely, “Are you enjoying the gala?” He asked, as he looked to see how close to finished the bartender was with their drinks so he could escape back to Wanda. </p><p> </p><p>“It’s ok I suppose, but you know how these things are!” She laughed and Vision forced a chuckle as he continued to will the bartender to work faster. Suddenly a hand appeared on his forearm. </p><p> </p><p>“Vision, baby, can we head upstairs? I’m not feeling great,” it was Wanda. Ciara looked between them, clear disappointment on her face as Wanda smiled sweetly. </p><p> </p><p>“Oh I’m sorry how rude, Wanda Maximoff,” she offered a hand that Ciara didn’t take. </p><p> </p><p>“Of course we can go up, if you’re not feeling well,” Vision said to Wanda, though she looked fine to him. “See you next year, maybe, Ciara.” He gave her a sheepish smile as Wanda took his hand and pulled him through the crowd, though his hand settled on her lower back as they headed out of the ballroom where the event was held. </p><p> </p><p>“Who was that?” Wanda asked, her voice almost angry, which Vision didn’t really understand. Perhaps the drinking game had been a bad idea. </p><p> </p><p>“Um, Ciara something? I’m not really sure,” Vision replied honestly a Wanda visibly calmed, the tension leaving her shoulders. </p><p> </p><p>“Oh, ok. Well, let’s go up to bed I suppose,” she looked at him as she said ‘let’s’, as if he was supposed to be reading between the lines. All he knew was that Wanda had lied to get him out of there, not dissimilarly to how he had barged in when she was talking to that man at the bar earlier. The idea of her being jealous set off a flare of desire in him that was hard to quench whilst he was drunk. They walked to the elevator together but he kept his distance, focusing on his breathing and trying to think of overtly un-sexy things before he did something he would regret. Wanda didn’t seem too keen to stand next to him either, perhaps she was still mad that he had spoken to Ciara at all, he ought to apologise. The elevator arrived and they got in wordlessly and Vision wondered at the tension between them, thinking what it would take to break the layer of ice that seemed to be forming. He couldn’t say anything though as another couple boarded the elevator with them, so he made a mental note to address it in the morning. </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>*****</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Wanda and Vision stood on opposite sides of the elevator, not making any eye contact. Wanda’s alcohol addled brain tried to make sense of everything that had happened; him pulling her away from talking to other men, dancing with her as closely as possible, her surprising rush of jealousy when she saw him talking to that woman and his hand lingering on the small of her back as they left the ballroom. He wanted her as much as she wanted him, she decided. And why deny them both something that they clearly wanted? </p><p> </p><p>The elevator stopped and the other couple got out, leaving just them as the doors slid shut and no one else got on. </p><p> </p><p>“Fuck it,” Wanda said suddenly and threw herself at him. She pulled his head down to meet hers in a heated kiss, which he immediately returned and she had to fight off a grin of triumph as she pushed him up against the wall of the elevator. Her tongue pushed into his mouth and he groaned, sending a sharp thrill through her entire body. The moment was broken by the elevator reaching their floor and Wanda pulled back so they could get out. They made their way breathlessly down the hall to their rooms where they came to another charged pause. </p><p> </p><p>“My room or yours?” She asked, having already thrown all caution to the wind in the elevator, she figured she would just be upfront about what she wanted to happen. </p><p> </p><p>“Wanda…” he started slowly, his voice languid from the alcohol and the sexual tension. “We shouldn’t, I can’t, I <em> won’t </em>-” </p><p> </p><p>She stepped up so she was standing as close to him as possible and looked into his eyes. “I want this Vision. I want <em> you. </em>I have wanted you for so long, you have no idea.” </p><p> </p><p>He looked down at her. “Are you really sure?” </p><p> </p><p>Instead of answering, she slipped her hand into the inside pocket of his blazer and pulled out his key card. “Your room?” He scanned her face one last time then let his desire flow free, his eyes visibly darkening as he pulled her in for a kiss and gently took the keycard from her hand. </p><p> </p><p>He fumbled slightly to get into the room and once they were in she pushed him back against the closed door and pulled his jacket down off of his arms as they kissed. She could already feel him hardening against her thigh as she ran her hands appreciatively down his chest and began to undo the buttons of his shirt after his tie was off. Once his shirt was off, she kissed down his neck slowly and ran her lips over his broad chest as he closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the door. </p><p> </p><p>“Come on,” she said and tugged him by the hand to the bed, he followed willingly. She sat back as he slid off his shoes and socks and looked over her. Then he kneeled down in front of her and her heart skipped about three beats. Gently and with a deftness that promised great things to come, he undid the straps of her heels whilst kissing up her leg, mimicking the slow attention that she had just paid his neck. Her shoes were off and he was still kneeling between her legs as she propped herself up on her elbows to look at him. He seemed to be waiting for permission to continue. </p><p> </p><p>“Go for it,” she said with a slight smirk and he wordlessly took her hips in his hand and slid her so she was sat on the edge of the bed. She watched as he slid his thigh up the slit in her skirt, pushing the fabric up as he went. </p><p> </p><p>When he saw she wasn’t wearing any underwear, he muttered, “Christ Wanda,” and his voice had dropped another octave into more of a growl and Wanda didn’t think she could wait any longer whilst he looked and sounded like that. Luckily she didn’t have to; as Vision’s lips and tongue worked their way along her thigh, then he got to work. He knew exactly what he was doing in spite of his drunkenness, working his tongue to pull moans out from the back of her throat as she gripped harder onto the sheets. It only got better when she looked down at him to see him looking straight back at her, his eyes focused on her and her alone as his hair fell forward into his eyes. She reached down and ran her hand through his hair pushing it off of his face, her hand then settling on the back of his neck and he moaned, a sound that ran through her entire body. Wanda couldn’t wait much longer, she pulled him up her body, bringing his mouth back to hers and he kissed her almost desperately as they moved back so her head was resting on the pillows. She fumbled to undo his belt and the buttons of his trousers whilst he slid her dress up her body and over her head. He kneeled back from her to pull his trousers the rest of the way off and looked at her, lying out before him, his dick straining against his underwear. </p><p> </p><p>“You’re perfect,” he said quietly, studying her face with that characteristic acute focus she expected. He was unbelievably intense like this and for a moment she wondered if this was more than just sex as an uncharacteristic flush spread across her face under the heated scrutiny of his gaze which was overwhelming appreciative. </p><p> </p><p>“Come here,” she said and he climbed back up her body to kiss her properly again. She pulled his underwear down over his hips and whispered, “Fuck me, Vizh,” between kisses. He pulled away from her mouth and they gasped together as he slid into her. He rested his forehead on her collarbone as he settled all the way in, their hips pressed together. They paused and for a moment, the room was made up only of moonlight from the open curtains and heated breaths, a pocket of still in what had been one of the best experiences of Wanda’s life. “Vizh,” she said quietly, when the waiting had been long enough. Her saying his name was enough; he looked up at her and pressed a quick kiss to her lips before he pulled out and thrust back in with enough power that she cried out. She wrapped her legs around him as he drove into her, their kisses descending into short, shared gasps as they both reached their climaxes. Vision ran a hand down her stomach and to her clit, touching it in time with the movement of his hips. Wanda’s back arched as she came and Vision followed soon after her, pressing kiss after kiss over her neck as he rode his orgasm out. </p><p> </p><p>Eventually he rolled off from on top of her and they lay side by side with their chests heaving, sweat on their brows. Wanda looked over at him, admiring his long form stretched out in its entirety next to her. Seizing the moment, she rolled over and rested her head on his chest. His arm wrapped around her, settling on her lower back as he used his left hand to pull the blanket up over them. The level of intimacy felt like they should address what had just happened, but Wanda felt so content in her post-coital haze that she wasn’t going to say anything to spoil it and the last of the alcohol in her mind helped to justify the avoidance of the topic. She opted instead for a good night’s sleep, hopefully wrapped in Vision’s arms.  </p><p> </p><p>“Goodnight, Vizh,” she said into his chest, breaking the silence between them. </p><p> </p><p>He leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead, “Goodnight Wanda.” Her eyes fell shut as she listened to the sound of his breathing deepening and they fell asleep together.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Wanda and Vision get back to reality.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello and here is the penultimate (?) chapter of this fic! Although a lot of you wanted it, there aren't going to be any kids in this story, but I have started on a sort of one shot sequel, so please tell me if that's something you would be interested in (it may already feature Tommy and Billy). I wanted this fic really to just focus on them as a couple and I hope you enjoy where they end up &lt;3<br/> Thank you for the love and support, it truly means the world!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Wanda woke to the sun shining in her eyes through the window in Vision’s hotel room, they clearly didn't shut the curtains the night before. She blinked slowly awake, dozily looking around the room, before she realised that Vision wasn’t in bed beside her. That forced her brain to jolt into awareness, as she panicked about the potential repercussions of the night before. They had finally done it, they had slept together and God did it feel good to be connected with Vision at last. It had been better than imagined and they had been drunk, she didn’t want to dwell on their possible sexual potential if they were to repeat again but sober. She couldn’t think like that now though, as Vision wasn’t beside her which meant he had probably gone into some sort of downward spiral when he woke up this morning. She sat up, pulling the covers up over her chest and leaning against the headboard, scanning the room for something she could put on to cover up so she could get changed and go and look for him. She almost jumped as the bathroom door opened with a sudden click and Vision appeared, glorious and bright, fresh out of the shower and dresssed just in his pyjama pants. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good morning,” he said gently as he unfolded his glasses and put them on. She breathed out a sigh of relief. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good morning,” she replied as he came and sat on the edge of the bed next to her and ran his eyes over her face, trying to work out how she was feeling about the night before. “I mean it, it is a good morning, and last night was a good night. And, before you get the chance to say anything, I just want to say that don’t worry, you haven’t dissolved our marriage or anything. You signed to say you wouldn’t make any advances on me, I definitely made the first move. So don’t worry, if you were worried that is.” The words tumbled out quickly and she momentarily panicked, worried that he would be happy with the idea that their marriage could have ended and he would be free. Vision appeased that fear almost immediately, as he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it gently. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad nothing has changed,” he said, running his thumb over her hand. And, no, that wasn’t what Wanda wanted. Things definitely needed to change. But maybe now, undressed in his bed wasn’t the time to address the future of their relationship. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Have we slept through breakfast?” She asked instead, swallowing her protestations about what he had just said, saving them for when they got home. The last thing she wanted was for them to have an awkward falling out and then have to travel back on a plane to New York together whilst not wanting to be in each other's company. No, best to leave it for later when they could avoid each other if they needed some space to work things out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He gave her a sheepish smile. “Yes we have. We could order room service? Or get something on the way to the airport, if you’re not starving,” he offered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Can we room service coffee? Is that a thing?” She asked him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“On it,” he said with a smile and went over to the room phone and dialled the number for room service. She looked at him whilst he ordered, running her eyes over his half naked body, appreciating it better in the bright light of day. She took the opportunity of him being distracted to slip out of bed and grab his hotel robe from the chair near the bed, though as she turned, tying the belt around her, she caught him looking away hastily and she smiled to herself. Regardless of how the conversation they had when they got home went, she could at least be sure in the knowledge that he wanted her as much as she wanted him and that counted for something. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s it ordered, it shouldn’t be too long,” Vision said after he hung the phone up. Wanda was gathering her discarded things up off of the floor from last night, not that she had been wearing much to make a mess. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to hop in a quick shower too,” she said, then felt it was necessary to add, “In my own room though, since my clothes are all through there.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course,” Vision said and if he was disappointed, he didn’t show it. Wanda took that as a cue to go and so she headed through to her room and did as she said she would. The hot water of the shower cleansed her of the sweat and the smell of sex that had mixed with her perfume and she tried to recount every detail of the night as she stood under the stream of water. Her kissing Vision, Vision eating her out, Vision fucking her until they came together. It had been perfect, though she could now think of all of the other ways she wanted them to fuck. She had to top next time, that was a must. </span>
  <em>
    <span>If there is a next time, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she reminded herself. She didn’t think there was any way for her and Vision to go back to normal platonic friendship, maybe they could engage in a friends with benefits type situation. They already lived together and spent a lot of their free time together, it wasn’t as if it would be hard for them to add sex to their routine. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She stepped out of the shower and dressed as quickly as possible, remembering that she had coffee on its way and she had indulged herself in the shower for a bit too long, fantasising about sucking Vision’s dick on the balcony then having sex on the living room floor. Last night definitely could not be a one time thing, Wanda couldn’t do it. And part of her told her that Vision couldn’t do it either. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She went back through to Vision’s room dressed but with her hair still wet and decided to just let herself in, considering that they had now surpassed the embarrassment that could ensue from seeing each other naked. Vision was dressed now too and his suitcase was on the bed, halfway to packed. There was a definite lingering smell of sex in the room and Wanda was itching to touch him. A knock at the door signalled the arrival of coffee, which she needed to fend off her slight headache from last night’s alcohol. She collected her coffee and Vision’s tea from the hotel staff member and sat herself on the chair next to the window, looking out at the view of Edinburgh castle and Princes’ Street gardens. It was a much quieter city than New York and whilst the streets were busy, there was an air of peace that she rarely felt at home. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Would you like to live in New York forever?” She asked suddenly, turning to look at Vision, who was almost done packing up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He stopped to think before answering. “I don’t think I would. If my job allowed it, I would like to move somewhere quieter, more suburban.” He blushed slightly. “I always imagined myself doing the more traditional marriage and kids thing and I don’t feel like that fits in the city centre, you know?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I do know,” she answered softly, thinking about how Vision’s hopes for the future had been disrupted by Wanda entering his life. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why are you asking?” Vision asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I guess when you go to different places you wonder what it might be like to live there,” she said, turning back to the window to look over Edinburgh’s old buildings. “I haven’t travelled enough to know if I definitely prefer quieter places to cities but I think I would like somewhere in the middle, kind of like where Tony and Pepper live.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, a nice compromise between urban and rural would be ideal. Unfortunately I don’t think either of our careers give us much room to move out of the city centre,” Vision said, closing down the top of the suitcase and doing a quick scan of the room to see if he’d missed anything. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You never know,” Wanda said, though she didn’t believe her own feigned optimism. Vision was normally the more positive of the two of them, to hear him resigned to a lifestyle that he didn’t want was really demoralising. Especially now that she was imagining what a house that she and Vision would share in the countryside might look like. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you all packed?” Vision asked, interrupting her daydreaming. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah I packed yesterday before the gala,” Wanda said with a smile. “Monica would be so proud of me, I’m never usually this organised.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We should really get ready to check out,” Vision said, checking his watch. “If you’re ready to leave?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She just nodded in response and got up from her seat at the window. “I’ll go get my things and double check the hotel room. Meet you in the hallway in ten minutes?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Perfect,” he replied with a small smile and she left his room for the second time that morning. Her things were all packed and ready to go, though she double checked just in case. All vacations passed quicker than you wanted to but this one felt like it was being cut short at a cruel time- she was about to be whisked back to reality in New York where she and Vision pretended like nothing was going on between them. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Is anything going on though, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she thought to herself. Vision was rarely anything other than straightforward, it wasn’t like him to posture about how he felt, though there was some chance he would do it to protect her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wanda looked at herself in the bathroom mirror. She had to strengthen her resolve and to do that she had to muddle through her feelings for Vision. She knew that they were strong feelings and that they scared her because she’d never felt anything else like it. More than anything, she knew that she wanted him, in both senses of the word. She stared sternly at her reflection before saying out loud to herself, </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“When you get home you will tell him how you feel,” and then she nodded at herself and headed through to the bedroom to collect her luggage and pull on her jacket. She met Vision in the hallway and he extended his hand to her, before they headed down the hallway. They stood in the elevator where they had kissed properly for the first time ever the night before, neither of them making direct eye contact. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Funny places, elevators,” Vision observed casually. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hm?” Wanda had no idea what he was trying to say. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You never know what might happen when you enter one, that’s all. Little boxes of mystery,” there was a coyness in his tone that she had never heard before and she looked up at him to see him already looking down at her. There was such an intensity in the look that passed between them, that they hadn’t noticed the elevator reaching the lobby. Wanda was about to initiate a repeat of their previous elevator experience when an old couple coughed and pushed in past them to break the moment and they shifted reluctantly from what had been the most important site of their entire trip. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When they got settled in the cab, Vision focused resolutely on the city going past them whilst Wanda watched him. It occurred to her then that she was completely and utterly in love with Vision. The thought didn’t feel like a revelation, it just sort of appeared in her head matter of factly, like when you tried to remember the name of an actor in a film for a long time and you suddenly remembered in a fleeting moment. She studied his side profile and tested the words out in her mind. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I love you. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>*****</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vision had never been so distraught in his life. His week away with Wanda had been the best of his entire life and had ended in the earth shattering realisation that he was entirely, inescapably in love with her. Returning to New York had created an environment of overwhelming mental claustrophobia as every second he wanted to tell her but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He had wanted to say it the last morning in Edinburgh, then in the elevator, then when they got back to New York and countless other times since. And he still hadn’t done it because he was a coward. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They had been home for two weeks now and, in direct contrast to his sentiments from New York, everything had changed. There was a distance between them that was so reminiscent of the first three weeks of their marriage it made Vision want to shout. The tension was feeding through to his work, so much so that even Tony and Bruce were keeping their distance from him, giving him space to work through whatever it was he was going through. He knew he ought to speak to them as well but he knew exactly what they would say- he needed to talk to Wanda. Vision knew that talking was the solution but his fear of rejection felt too great to overcome. The problem was, Wanda was too good for him, she deserved better. Someone as bright and exciting and passionate as she was. Not Vision. A homebody at best, who preferred the quiet of his apartment to the thrill of the rest of the world. Someone with all of Wanda’s electric brilliance deserved someone who matched that in equal measure and Vision knew he wasn’t that person. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The night before Wanda’s birthday, Vision found himself in the apartment having just wrapped her presents, questioning whether or not he would be able to give them to her given the current climate. He could hear Wanda in the kitchen and he headed through to meet her, thoughts of some kind of reconciliation on his mind. Wanda was always the one who had to make the first move after they had an argument, Vision was always afraid of talking before she was ready, it was about time he stepped up to the plate, as intimidating as it was. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wanda was dressed to go out and was just tidying away her dishes from dinner (they weren’t eating together at the moment) as he entered the kitchen. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where are you off to?” He asked as casually as he could manage, though he heard the hint of tightness in his voice from a fortnight of little to no interaction and Wanda heard it too. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She didn’t look at him as she replied, “Just a little birthday thing. Since my birthday falls on a Friday there was no way both me and Darcy would get the same night off to do something, so we’re doing drinks with Mon tonight instead.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That sounds nice,” Vision said. Wanda didn’t respond. He steeled his nerves, now was the time to take some sort of step to talking so she could enjoy her night out properly. “Wanda I’m sorry I’ve been so distant the last two weeks.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Distant? Is that what you call ignoring me?” Wanda’s tone was sharp and the look she gave him was full of hurt. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I just wanted to give us both time, after what happened in Edinburgh I mean, to just sort of process everything that happened. I recognise that we were abroad and drunk, nothing had to come out of it of course-” Vision rushed, but Wanda burst out over him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You always do this! It doesn’t matter what I say, you don’t believe me,” she cried. “I told you, very clearly, that you didn’t need to worry, that you hadn’t overstepped any lines. Maybe you should give me the benefit of the doubt and actually trust what I say. Is it so crazy to you that I might have actually wanted to have sex with you? Seriously?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why on earth would someone like you want someone like me?” Vision asked, his pitch was starting to rise along with hers as they stood on opposite sides of the kitchen. “You deserve better, Wanda,” he added. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She threw her hands up in frustration, “You don’t get to decide that for me Vision! I decide what I deserve and what I want. And what I want is you! But as usual, you’ll probably explain your way around that, since nothing I say is ever real to you, so I’ll just leave you to think that. I have a birthday party to get to, anyway. You have a nice evening.” She grabbed her purse from the kitchen table and was gone from the apartment, leaving Vision to stare after her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They had never fought like that before. Was it even really a fight? He sat down at the kitchen table and held his head in his hands, Wanda’s words echoing in his mind. Was he really so dense that he had been ignoring Wanda all of this time? He took a minute to think about it. Thought about the conversations they had in the first few months of living together, when Wanda had reassured him that she wanted to spend time with him, enjoyed it even. The time they shared doing little things, like weekend mornings on the balcony, eating dinner together whenever they were both home at the same time. The entire experience of Christmas together. Then there had been Edinburgh; a week of uninterrupted bliss, culminating in some of the best sex of Vision’s life. God, maybe he wasn’t as intelligent as everyone thought.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He felt stupid now, sat alone and what was even worse was sitting alone, having sent Wanda away to her friends for her birthday drinks with an argument still stretched out between them, unresolved. He debated calling her now, but thought the better of it quickly, not wanting to disrupt her evening even further. He would stay up, wait for her to get home and would not let them go to bed without this being resolved. To cement this plan, he sent Wanda a quick, apologetic text.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Hi, I’m sorry for being such an idiot. I hope you have a wonderful evening with your friends, you deserve it. I don’t want us to fight, so I’ll be up when you get home and we can talk this over like adults, if you’re happy to do so. Say hi to Monica and Darcy from me xx</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Knowing he would drive himself demented waiting on a reply he silenced his phone and flipped it over, resisting the urge to check it every thirty seconds. He sat at that same spot at the kitchen table, rehearsing his apology. He even got a pen and paper and made a little shorthand list of all of the things he had to say to her, in case his nerves got the better of him and he missed something important out. He still wasn’t sure if this was the time to confess his love but he felt the need to be brave, for Wanda’s sake. Of all the things on earth, she had sounded disappointed in him when she spoke and that felt unbearable. Wanting him wasn’t the same as loving him but that shouldn’t matter. Vision loved Wanda and that did matter- that was all that mattered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He hadn’t been sat for very long, though it had felt like hours, when the sound of Wanda’s keys in the door startled him out of his thoughts. She came into the apartment wordlessly, her eyes falling onto him, sat desolately at the kitchen table. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You texted,” Wanda said simply. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I did,” he replied, unsure of what she was doing back so early. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Vision, I…” she started slowly but trailed off. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Me too,” Vision replied. “I should have listened to you. I’m sorry.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Only you could upset me by being too nice,” Wanda said. “Do you know how dumb that made me sound to my friends when I got to the bar and had to explain my mood? I had to say I shouted at you for being too respectful.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It wasn’t just that though, I deserved it, I haven’t been honest with you Wanda and I have punished you for being honest with me,” he said and got up to stand in front of her. He cupped her face in his hand and ran his thumb gently over her cheek. “I want you too,” he said softly, then he kissed her. It was soft, full of the sentiment that he wanted to carry through with his words. But then it reflected more of what he said: pure desire. Wanda pulled him even closer in by the collar of his shirt and they staggered ungracefully down the hall to his bedroom, not breaking contact the whole time. She pushed him back onto his bed and crawled on top of him, her tongue coming into his mouth and her hand sliding down his chest to his waistband, drawing a deep moan out from the back of his throat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her hands made light work of the buttons of his shirt and he was soon bare chested and Wanda was kissing her way down his chest as her hand started to work him through his underwear. His hips were already bucking up in response to her touch and she unfastened his belt quickly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What- what are you doing?” He breathed as she tugged at his underwear. She looked up at him, her eyes simultaneously bright and dark. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I told you, I want you,” she flashed him a smile, then her lips covered him and he threw his head back onto the bed with a moan. She bobbed her head with experienced ease, looking up at him, not that he managed to look back much, his eyes were closed too often in bliss. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had to get her to stop though, otherwise he would finish far too quickly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wanda, darling, please. I want us both to enjoy this,” he managed more coherence than before. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She pulled off of him and looked up at him. “Say it again,” she said. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Say what?” He asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Darling,” she replied, her voice entirely serious. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Darling?” He repeated as instructed, though slightly questioning.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fuck me, that’s hot. That can stay,” she said as she pulled off her own top and unzipped her skirt whilst kicking off her shoes. She sat herself in his lap in just her underwear and kissed him again, guiding his hand round to her underwear. He took the hint, pulling the thin material off of her hips and found her already wet, so slipped his index finger in. She gasped into his shoulder as he fucked her slowly with his fingers, whilst he took in every feature of her face and body whilst she was so close to him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stop ok, come on, move up the bed,” Wanda instructed and he did as he was told. He watched her unclasp her bra and get ready to position herself, realising what she was doing he stopped her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wait, we should get a condom. It was irresponsible enough in Scotland, we definitely should use one tonight,” he said. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She smiled at him. “I’m good, I’m on birth control. Went back on it when I moved in with you, just in case.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Really?” He asked incredulously. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“God yes, when I say I wanted you, I mean from the very beginning. Also I knew you were too chivalrous to be carrying a condom around with you, so I had to take precautionary measures in case of emergency,” she said, totally free of any shame as she should be.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Right, ok,” he said, taking a moment to process the reality that Wanda had felt similar to him for as long as he had. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Vizh, are we doing this?” She asked softly, looking over him. “I’m being serious, do you need to talk more?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He did need to talk more but right now he needed Wanda just as much. “We can talk after, I’m not going anywhere darling.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good I’ll hold you to that, now sit back and enjoy the ride,” she said playfully and Vision laughed until she sank down onto him, then it turned into another moan. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Vizh,” Wanda said breathily, looking down at him, before she started grinding her hips at a punishingly slow rate. She leaned down to kiss him as she moved, then Vision started instinctively moving with her. They sped up gradually, their kisses descending into gasps and moans whilst Vision’s fingers pressed into her lower back, pulling her even closer to him. He came first with a cry, then she followed, falling forwards onto his chest and dusting his chest with light kisses as they caught their breath together. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They separated after they had both calmed, and lay taking each other in, Vision’s eyes full of reverence as he looked at Wanda. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I love you,” he breathed, surprising himself as much as her as he said it. He hadn’t intended for it to happen, the words just left his mouth and once they were gone, he felt unbelievably glad that they had been said.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She smiled slowly, almost shyly, before she answered, “I love you too.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vision’s heart sang and he pulled her as close as they could possibly get, his fingers running up and down the length of her back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That was a good talk,” he said.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She laughed and looked up at him. “I feel like we said what needed to be said though. Should've said it sooner, might have saved a lot of torment for us both.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, what’s done is done,” Vision said simply, too happy with the world to worry about what should have been done. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“God our friends are going to be so annoying. I feel like they all knew how we felt before we did,” Wanda complained. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well this can be just our thing just now,” Vision said. “Our little secret, just you and me, darling. No one else needs to know yet.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If you’re going to be this sexy all the time now that we’re really together, I’m going to need to keep my distance from you, cause if it was difficult to control myself before, it will probably be impossible now,” she said, her tone teasing. “Also you’re right, they don’t need to know yet. Let’s live the secret relationship we never got to in the first half year of our fake marriage. We deserve it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I believe we do,” Vision said. “What should we do with our time, now that we are officially in a secret relationship?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve got a few ideas,” Wanda said with a grin. “Want to hear my first one?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Absolutely, darling,” Vision replied. They brought in Wanda’s birthday together in his bed and there was nowhere in the world either of them would have preferred to be. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Wanda and Vision are in love and the future is bright.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello and here it is, the final chapter! It has taken me a week to finish it off in a way that I like, I really wanted to do these two justice, so I hope you all enjoy it &lt;3 It's a bit mushy, very fluffy and a tiny bit sad- a mix of all of the good things. Thank you to everyone who has read through this with me, I hope it has brought you as much joy to read as it brought me to write. I have lots of ideas for other fics, so keep an eye out for me! For the final time, thank you for your kudos and comments of support, I love you all!! xxx</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>If someone had told Wanda in September that, come February, she would be head over heels in love with the man she was being forced to marry, she would have laughed at them. It was now March and that was exactly how her life looked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She and Vision had held true to their promise to keep the progression in their relationship from their friends for a few weeks, the privacy echoing that of the beginning of their relationship, only now they were having sex at every available moment instead of avoiding each other. Keeping it between them added an extra layer of heat to their relationship as well as giving them time to get used to each other in a new way. The secrecy had been short lived however, as neither Wanda nor Vision had been able to contain their joy for long, despite their best attempts to keep it to themselves. Their lives didn’t change too much in terms of their day to day life but emotionally the change had been enough that their friends had quickly deduced what was going on. For four people that had never met, Darcy, Monica, Bruce and Tony had exceptionally similar responses to the news that they were finally a real couple- responses full of eye rolling, smirking and the phrase ‘it’s about time’. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They were still learning new things about each other every day, much to Wanda’s surprise, the dynamic in communication definitely shifted as they grew more physically comfortable with each other.  Wanda’s favourite new thing she had learned about Vision was that he was unbelievably horny for her, basically all of the time. He was cursed with a high libido whilst also being a shy person by nature, so he still wouldn’t often start things between them but as soon as she hinted towards anything sexual, he made it clear that he was totally on board. There were few surfaces in the apartment that were still untainted by their activities, the office and the balcony being the two spots yet to be used, it wasn’t quite warm enough yet that the balcony would be a suitable venue, though spring was fast approaching so it wouldn’t be too long before that joined the list. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In the first week of March, the week their friends were all told in full that Wanda and Vision were now ‘Wanda and Vision’, Wanda had visited Vision at work. It had been an immense ego boost to have Vision’s snarky assistant greet her as ‘Ms Maximoff’ when she arrived and let herself into Vision’s office. In fact the power had somewhat gone to her head and within half an hour of arriving she had been on her knees in Vision’ office, watching him fight to keep quiet as she sucked his dick whilst his employees sat on the other side of the door. She had felt less smug when he had returned the favour, lying her out on one of the sofas in his office and she had bit into her sleeve as she came. Vision had achieved very little at work that afternoon. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The only other big change was that Wanda moved into Vision’s bedroom, though neither of them could place exactly when it happened. It was sort of organic (or at least that was what they agreed) tha after Wanda’s birthday she just started going to bed with Vision, rather than her own room. Gradually her clothes were migrating across the hall into Vision’s closet as well, making the move complete. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You finally have the view,” Vision teased one morning as they lay entwined, watching the early sunrise melt over the city from their bed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That was my angle the whole time actually,” she countered. “I had no interest in you, I was all about the view from the day I moved in. I played the long game to get the view, the man in bed next to me is just an added bonus. A wonderful bonus, but a bonus all the same.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vision had laughed and said, “Even if the view was the conquest, I am thrilled to be part of the spoils of your labour.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“God, you’re sexy when you talk like that,” Wanda had replied, only partly in jest. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Like what, darling?” Vision had said and the deliberate use of the pet name had meant Vision left late for work that morning. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wanda had never been so happy and she had to constantly remind herself that it was real; Vision was </span>
  <em>
    <span>real</span>
  </em>
  <span>. After years mired in the misery of her brother’s death, working in a job that she didn’t love for much less money than she needed to pay off her college debt, she had never felt that her future looked particularly bright. Now, with the beacon of light that Vision was in her life, she found herself doing something she never did- planning. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Planning for all sorts of different things, which scared her to varying degrees. She had never been a happy person, so she wasn’t really sure if she would be able to live a happy life, it was such unfamiliar territory for her. It was bizarre when she caught herself daydreaming, imagining her life as an art teacher living with Vision in a big house on the outskirts of the city with their two children (they were both boys in the daydream, she wasn’t sure why) and a dog. She would shake herself out of the dreams quickly, chastising herself for thinking too far ahead, that she was setting herself up for inevitable disappointment. But Vision’s words from Edinburgh still floated through her mind, his desires for a suburban life, to have children. She knew that Vision loved her, he made sure she knew, but she still doubted herself too much, didn’t trust that Vision would want all of those things with her. These were the sort of things that she worried about now, when she was on her own whilst Vision was at work or during quiet moments during her shifts at the bar. Even her behaviour at work was changing and luckily she worked with Darcy, who was more than happy to point out any obvious changes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I sort of regret rooting for you guys,” said Darcy one day at the bar. “You’re all doe eyed when you talk about him now, I thought it was annoying before when you just wanted some dick, but the soft voice and dreamy staring into the distance when you talk about him, that’s gotta go.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wanda rolled her eyes, “I do not stare dreamily off into the distance when I talk about Vision.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes you do,” said Jimmy from the other side of the bar. It had been a quiet evening so far, the three of them had had time to chat. “The way you talk about him, I’m expecting you to hand in your resignation before long. Sounds like its endgame to me and endgame usually means the end of your career as a bartender.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, will you miss me Jimmy? If I leave?” Wanda teased, and she added on the if, not wanting to panic Darcy yet, despite her ever increasing feeling that the bar was not the place she saw herself in the future. No need to tell anyone until things were definite, until she had spoken to Vision. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I miss all good bartenders, they’re hard to find and rarely stick around,” Jimmy said as he got up and headed in the direction of the back room to fetch a new keg. “Though I will admit that I won’t miss you and Darcy’s constant chat, maybe Darcy will finally get some work done.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey!” Darcy protested as Jimmy disappeared through the door with a grin. “I work, sometimes. When I feel like working, which admittedly isn’t often.” She looked over at Wanda who was cleaning down some of the sticky spots on the bar. “You can tell me, you know, if you are leaving. I can take it you know, I managed fine when Monica told us she was moving out of the city.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wanda looked at Darcy, simultaneously grateful for her friend’s upfront attitude and frustrated by it as it meant she had to address her uncertainty. It took her a moment to answer, “I’m not really sure what my plan is yet. I know that long term Vizh would prefer to move out of the city but I can’t see that being realistic whilst he’s the CEO of a huge company and I work here. Also, we haven’t discussed it. He might not want to move anywhere with me, we’ve only actually been together for two months, it might freak him out if I start talking about a house and kids.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ok, big answer, a lot to unpack there,” Darcy said. “Firstly, Vision would move the entire Earth for you if it would make you happy, he would follow you into the sun if you asked him, we’ve all seen the way he looks at you. Secondly, who said anything about a house and kids, stop spiralling. I’m just saying if your plan is to move on from this job, don’t worry about me, I’ve always got little secret plans moving beneath the surface, I’ll be fine.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Secret plans?” Wanda asked with a smile. “Do I even want to know what they might be?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You probably don’t,” Darcy replied with a wink.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> “Mon’s right you know Darcy. You really are very perceptive and you give good advice when you want to,” Wanda said.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I like my words to matter,” Darcy said, in as serious a tone as she ever had. “If I’m helping you guys or worried about you, I want you to know that I’m taking it seriously. Also, the constant humour is just another facet of my shining personality, I can’t help it that no one else is as funny as me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s true,” Wanda said with a laugh. A customer approached the bar, killing their conversation though Wanda left it feeling much more settled. Her worries about her and Vision were to be expected (Monica said so), everyone worries about things they care about. She just had to get better at communicating these things to Vision, so they didn’t consume as much of her time. She made a pledge to herself mid-shift that at the weekend she would sit down with Vision and have a proper chat about the future and how it should look to them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>*</b>
</p><p>
  <span>Wanda intended her big chat to be with Vision on Thursday evening when he got home from work and she sat on the sofa wringing her hands as she waited for him to arrive home. The intercom buzzed and she jumped, thinking maybe Vision had forgotten his keys, which wasn’t at all like him. She headed over to the intercom and held the button down as she spoke, </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hello?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Miss Maximoff,” it was the voice of the doorman, “I have a delivery here for you, can I send the guy up?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, of course,” Wanda said and the line cut. She stood waiting, confused and watched the delivery boy exit the elevator and head up the corridor holding a beautiful bouquet of white lilies and pink carnations. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” she said, taking them from the man, still confused. There was no note, Vision would have included a note if they were for her. Also the lilies seemed somewhat morose, not the kind of flower he would give her. In fact he had only ever bought her tulips as they were his favourites. She placed the flowers on the kitchen table and returned to her position to wait for him. It wasn’t long before she heard Vision’s key clicking into the lock and he appeared through the door, immediately looking for her as he entered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good evening, darling,” he said. The pet name had become a permanent one between them, Wanda wasn’t sure if she preferred it like this, nonchalant and casual, like he had always called her that or when he growled it out in a husky voice during sex, sending shivers up her spine. Vision crossed the room to kiss her on the forehead. “I missed you,” he said and she smiled up at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Missed you too,” she replied honestly. “Am I to thank you for the flowers or do they need an explanation?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vision’s gaze followed hers to the kitchen table and realisation crossed his face. “Right well, I do hope I haven’t overstepped,” he said, his bashful tone appearing and she wondered at what might be making him nervous. “I just, well, I know it’s the anniversary of your brother’s passing on Saturday and I thought I would order a nice arrangement. We haven’t talked about what you normally do and I’m sure you’ll have your own way of remembering him but I wanted to help in some way, we can always keep them in the apartment.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wanda looked at him as tears built up in her eyes and Vision immediately panicked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Forgive me Wanda, please, I should have asked first,” he moved to take the flowers from the table but she caught his hand and turned him to face her. She cupped his face in her hands as she looked up at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What did I do to deserve you?” She asked quietly, running her eyes over his face as he looked down at her with a concerned expression. “You’re always so thoughtful, so considerate.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I just don’t want you to feel alone,” Vision replied quietly, his blue eyes full of love and tenderness. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The flowers are beautiful,” Wanda said. “And so are you,” she added and pulled him down to kiss her, a few tears spilling out as she became overwhelmed with emotion. “I could never feel alone now that I have you,” she whispered to him after they parted. He ran his thumb gently over her cheek, pushing away the remnants of her tears. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I love you,” he said, for the hundredth time since February, but it still made her heart beat faster when she heard it. She pulled him in, tighter than before and as they kissed they shed their clothes, making slow progress back to their bedroom, taking time to feel each other and allowing Wanda’s emotions to wash over her, but not consume her. Vision’s fingers were gentle and firm at the same time as he lay her down on the bed and finished undressing her slowly. He looked at her with such blinding reverence, adoration flowing from him and washing her in its heady glow, her eyes threatened tears again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sorry,” she said, sheepishly, hastily wiping the tears from her eyes. “This is so dumb, I’m crying happy tears in bed. Sorry, please continue.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vision’s eyes scanned every part of her face. “Wanda, darling, do not ever apologise for how you feel. I look at you most days and can’t believe you’re with me. So believe me, I more than understand the urge to cry, tears of joy should be celebrated, not something of which you are ashamed.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How do you always know the right thing to say?” She asked softly, running a hand through his hair. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It must be my superpower,” Vision replied with a half smile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Got any other superpowers you would like to demonstrate?” She asked, suddenly taking in their state of undress. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t call them superpowers as such…” Vision said, not ever one to brag. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Show me what you’re made of,” Wanda said with a grin. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He responded with an equally bright smile and got to work. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <b>*</b>
</p><p>
  <span>Spring seemed to erupt in full for the anniversary of Pietro’s death. The cemetery where he was buried seemed brighter than it usually was when Wanda visited, the rowan trees in full bloom as she and Vision headed up the path hand in hand to her brother’s grave. Vision had brought the flower arrangement with him and had been more or less wordless all morning, giving her room to let her grief move through her. That was the thing about grief, it never truly stops, you just felt it at different times, it leaves as fleetingly as it arrives. It was more predictable on the anniversary of his death, Wanda could better anticipate her feelings as she let the hurt that remained from losing her brother rise to the surface. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His gravestone was modest and simple, Wanda hadn’t been able to afford much when he died since she hadn’t long been out of college and arranging a funeral and burial had been expensive for someone already heavily in debt. Vision squeezed her hand before he let go and bent down to place the flowers in the old ceramic vase that had been left there for the past four years. He straightened up and took her hand again, running his thumb softly along her knuckles. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t usually say anything,” Wanda said quietly, after she felt the silence might be growing awkward. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s alright,” Vision replied, matching her pitch. “I don’t think you need to say anything, being here is enough. He knows that.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wanda gripped onto his hand tighter, then moved in to hug Vision. She pressed her face into his chest, breathing him in, as his arms wrapped around her and his chin rested atop her head. When she eventually pulled back she took a deep breath and knelt down so the gravestone was eye level. She read his name and year of birth, focusing on the even lettering as she spoke. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Pietro, this is Vision,” she started and for the first time that day she felt like she was about to cry. “You always worried that I wouldn’t take care of myself but you don’t need to worry now because Vision takes care of me. You would have liked him so much, you would have loved to tease him. I want you to know that I am still loved and that you are still loved. Stay safe, wherever you are and know that I am taken good care of. I’m happy.” She kissed her hand then pressed her palm to the top of the gravestone before standing. Vision’s blue eyes were glassy with tears. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ready to go?” He asked, his voice wavering slightly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She nodded. “Let’s go home.” They joined hands again and headed back out of the cemetery. As they sat in the cab on the way home, Wanda rested her head on Vision’s shoulder. He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead and she thought about what she had said to her brother at his grave and thought about the man sitting next to her. Sat there, with Vision, perfect, strong, gentle Vision at her side, she felt whole for the first time in years. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>*****</b>
</p><p>
  <span>Summer in New York arrived and Vision had never been happier in his entire life. He and Wanda were making plans for the coming months, it was all so exciting. They were planning a small vacation to the north of Italy at the start of August before Wanda started back at grad school in September, to do her masters in teaching. When she had told him about her desire to become an art teacher she had been so nervous and he had been thrilled by it, he was happy that she was going back to study the thing that she loved. A brief argument had followed as he had offered to pay for her tuition and she had taken offence, saying that she didn’t need him to fund her through it, regardless of their relationship. He knew she had been able to save a lot of her income from the bar over the past months as she hadn’t been paying rent but he still didn’t love the idea of her using all of that money to pay some of the tuition and having to take out another loan to pay off the rest. He more than understood that it would hurt her pride to have him pay for it but he felt immense guilt that he had access to seemingly endless amounts of money and he had nothing he could do with it. After they had both cooled off from the argument they had reached a compromise; Wanda would pay as much of the tuition as she could using her savings and Vision would cover the remainder of the cost. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That was as difficult as it ever really got between them, aside from the occasional communication error (usually when Vision was trying hard to not upset anyone), life was bliss. Vision had begun to consider vague ideas for the future, namely that of finding a replacement for himself as RedTech’s CEO. He was certain of the future he wanted, one with Wanda and one that wouldn’t work in the city centre, with him being heavily committed to a huge company. He had the rare luxury of wealth, something that allowed him to take a step back from work if he wanted to. Wanda’s oncoming pursuit of her dreams and goals had inspired him and he wanted to go back to designing products, and he had the beginnings of plans for a foundation funded by both himself and the company. If he started to work on this early, he could get it sorted by this time next year and he and Wanda could seriously think about looking at houses outside of the city. The nonchalance with which they were able to talk about these things was so far removed from the early days of their relationship, now discussions of the future seemed commonplace. They had very quickly become inseparable over the past few months and as Wanda and Vision had wholly established themselves as a couple, they became the exact pair that your friends get affectionately irritated by as they were so aggravatingly in love with each other.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vision’s birthday fell in early July and this was to be the first time Wanda and Vision hosted all of their friends at once. He was nervous about it, as was Wanda, though they were both pretending to be entirely calm about the whole thing. They were doing a very informal dinner, nothing fancy, Vision never liked to make much of a fuss. Wanda hadn’t allowed him to keep to that, she had spent the whole day showering him with kisses and ‘I love yous’ and jokes about how the six year age gap between them sounded so much bigger now he was 35. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know, 35 is basically late thirties,” she said as they set the dining table up together. “I wonder what midlife crisis you’ll choose.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was very good natured about the whole thing and far too happy this year to let any of the teasing bother him. Pepper and Tony arrived first, as usual, they were never anything other than early. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Happy birthday big guy,” Tony said after giving him a hug, then Pepper followed suit. His friends had all visited his apartment before, though he rarely had them over, he had always preferred his space to be his own. He also found the pressure of hosting to be somewhat overwhelming, so having Wanda by his side to keep things moving along was a gift. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Monica arrived next, then Bruce, then as usual Darcy was late. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sorry I’m late,” she said as she barreled in through the front door, not bothering to knock. “I hope you didn’t start eating without me, I’m starving.” She looked at the group of them all gathered together in the kitchen. “Oh I’m Darcy, by the way,” she said, looking in the general direction of Vision’s friends. “And happy birthday to Vision! How does it feel, knowing you’re another year closer to the grave?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Darcy!” Wanda said, feigning offence, whilst the others laughed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I like her,” said Tony with a grin. “I’m Tony, by the way. And I am also starving, when do we eat?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Now,” Wanda said with a smile, and everyone got settled at the table. As with Thanksgiving, when Wanda had integrated smoothly with Vision’s friends and the many occasions that he had chatted with Monica and Darcy when they were round, everyone got on very well. Monica and Pepper spoke a lot about Pepper’s non-profit organisation and its work, whilst Tony further discussed his ideas for improving the bartending profession with Darcy, who listened with interest and Wanda, who humoured him as he excitedly talked about all of the things he thought could be done. Bruce moved easily in and out of everyone’s conversations, he was enough of a generalist that no topic of conversation was too niche for him to get involved in. Vision was just happy to revel in the ease of it all, the seamless marriage of he and Wanda’s lives seemed to be symbolised in this successful culmination of their closest friends. The heat of the summer sun filled the apartment and as evening loomed they settled out on the balcony, in Vision’s thriving garden. The greenhouse had been put to good use, he was using it to grow peppers and had a little watermelon that was doing well. His pride and joy were the strawberries however and he struggled to keep the smile off of his face as Wanda gushed about how much work he had done to tend the garden over the past months. When the evening eventually came to an end and it was just he and Wanda left, the quiet of the apartment seemed foreign, after the hours of laughter and bright conversation. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, darling, for a wonderful day,” he said as they finished packing the dishes from dinner back into the cupboards. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m just glad you enjoyed it,” she said with a smile. “Also, you made my birthday the best I’ve ever had, I had a tough act to follow in that respect.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You mean when I sent you off to your birthday party mid argument? That made your birthday good?” Vision asked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, silly,” Wanda said, laying her hands out on his chest. “I’m talking about what came after. The first time you told me you loved me. There could be no better birthday present than that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re really piling on the pressure for next year,” he said jokingly, though it was the sort of thing he would panic about this far in advance. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“As long as you’re still with me, it doesn’t matter what you get me. You’re more than enough. Just promise you’ll be with me,” she said, there was a slight air of insecurity in her voice as she spoke. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I promise to be there for all of them,” he reassured her. “I’ll be by your side forever, if you’ll have me.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She looked up at him, her face glowing with love. “There is no one else I would rather have.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>*</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Vision pulled the little box out of his pocket for the billionth time that day. It was late September and he and Wanda had been officially married for a year. He wasn’t exactly proposing again, they hadn’t ever discussed the fact that they were just dating despite being married, but he imagined this is exactly as nervous as he ought to feel if it were a real proposal. He had taken what he considered to be a big risk and bought both an engagement and wedding ring for Wanda as their anniversary gift. They hadn’t even discussed if today was something they would be recognising as an anniversary, perhaps February would be a better time to choose as an anniversary since that was when they actually got together. It was their only fault as a couple, the occasional avoidance of important topics to avoid arguments or disappointment, a fault he felt he had to take a majority portion of the blame for. He shook his head slightly and opened the box to inspect the two rings, he had to stick to his instincts on this, he wanted to recognise the event that tied them to each other, it had proved to be the most important event of his life since. The rings were custom made, he didn’t often use his wealth on material things, though this had felt like a more than reasonable use of his money. The engagement ring was a very fine band of gold, inset with red topaz and tourmaline and the wedding ring itself had a slightly wider band, though it was a far more simplistic band of gold. Somewhat selfishly, he had chosen the wedding ring to be less intricate so that their rings could match. He hadn’t bought himself one yet, in case Wanda didn’t want to wear them, but planned to choose a matching one if she liked the idea. He had felt very confident after ordering the rings (he had consulted Pepper, Tony and Bruce about it, all of whom had said he didn’t need their help to design something beautiful) but, as usual, he was worried that it wouldn’t be good enough for Wanda.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At the start of the week he had consulted with Sharon about the contract that they had signed a year ago. She had confirmed for him that dissolution of the marriage had to be initiated, that was that he and Wanda would actually have to file for divorce if they wanted to separate as any couple normally would have to if they were choosing to separate. This reassured Vision to some degree as it was one less thing to worry about. He occasionally felt remiss that he and Wanda would never get a traditional wedding experience, however they were both very happy in the knowledge that they were an unusual couple and that they definitely didn’t need a flashy ceremony to show the world that they loved each other. More than anything, he felt ready to get on to the next phase of their life together without having the usual worry that couples have before their early years of being married to each other. He and Wanda’s relationship had been a challenge from the off, he felt that they were now prepared to face pretty much anything together. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wanda had started back at grad school a few weeks ago and he had begun preliminary conversations with the board, with regards to his intentions to step down as CEO of the company at the end of the tax year. He had been met with a lot of push back, until he had voiced his intention to return more fully to product design and had touched on his interest in setting up a sort of charity through the company. It was agreed that he should keep a seat on the board and he should take the lead in finding a replacement, a process that he wasn’t looking forward to as it promised to be lengthy and boring. But he didn’t really mind as it was all happening to lead on to he and Wanda’s future, something he was wholly invested in.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He had tried hard not to agonise too much about the minutiae of the day, trying to keep Wanda as in the dark as possible about his plans to ‘propose’. It was midweek, so he had still needed to go into the office and he was just meeting Wanda after her classes, meaning it wasn’t shaping up to be some huge event where they were both dressed up. That felt right though, that they should continue to move on as themselves, not by posturing in some fancy restaurant where they couldn’t really relax around one another. He had wanted originally to do it in the cafe where they had first met but hadn’t been able to think up a reason for them to be on that side of town and so had quickly discarded that idea. Instead he had ended up settling on the most mundane of his possible locations; the balcony of their apartment. He was nervous about it as a choice as perhaps it was too simple, not significant enough. Though he had chosen it for the exact reason of its significance. Beyond it being one of Vision’s favourite spaces in the world, it was also a spot that he and Wanda had shared early on. Even before either of them had any real feelings for each other, they had spent time together on weekend mornings, bringing in the day together. It had been where they had gotten to know each other, before they had grown more bold and started spending time properly out in public together. It was where she had first felt comfortable enough to open up to him, to be vulnerable about the loss of the brother. Even more recently, it had grown to be a space they could share with their friends. Though it perhaps lacked glamour or rom-com style memorability, he didn’t think it lacked in romance and that was why he had settled on it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Around lunchtime was when he met Wanda and they went to get lunch together, at a little ramen place around the corner from their apartment. She told him about her seminar from that morning and he mostly listened, though he occasionally got distracted by the ring box that he felt was weighing his pocket down. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You ok?” Wanda asked, as they waited on the check being brought over. “You seem a little quiet today?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine, just happy to listen to you today. Not got much to report from my morning, it would probably bore you,” Vision said, mildly panicking that he had given the game away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Vizh, you could read out the stock market report from the newspaper and I would enjoy listening to it,” she said with a half smile. “But if you don’t want to talk about whatever is bothering you yet, then that’s fine. I’ll be ready to listen when you’re ready to talk.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Having no genuine response to give her, he had merely nodded and they had headed back to the apartment together as Wanda told him about Monica’s plans to do a bit of work with Pepper’s company. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think she’s really excited about it, she sounded so bright on the phone,” she said as Vision unlocked the apartment door and they went in. Immediately he felt his palms sweating as he realised he hadn’t mapped out his plans further than this. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure she will do great work with them,” Vision said and hurriedly continued on, “I’m just going to check on the plants.” He rushed out to the balcony and busied himself with the strawberries, giving them a genuine inspection as his mind spiralled due to his lack of a plan. Wanda gave him a few minutes alone before she joined him, watering can in her hand.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You might need this,” she said, though her face was mildly concerned. He was already knelt down, this was his opportunity. Now or never. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wanda, uh, I wish I was better at stringing sentences like this together,” he began, looking up at her now slightly confused face. “I’ve never been great at romantic eloquence, though I will try my best. A little over a year ago, we met for the first time, under circumstances that I think we both were unhappy with. Then a week later we were married, through no desire of our own and we were thrown together with the promise of it only being a year we would have to live like that,” he paused for breath and pulled the ring box from his pocket and Wanda dropped the watering can with a clatter as she realised what he was doing. “The thing is, darling, I want much more than a year with you. I want every minute, hour, day, week and month, whatever you want to share with me and I will take it gladly and cherish it. I know we are already married so this isn’t exactly a proposal, rather a vow of a different sorts. Not dissimilar to the ones we made last year, only now I promise you me, every part of me and I mean it. You have transformed my life into something full of thrill and excitement and more than anything love and if I can return that favour, create a life with you in which we can grow old together, then it would be the greatest privilege of my life to do so.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He hadn’t intended to get teary but there he was knelt before the woman he loved, tears in his eyes that she was mirroring back at him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fuck’s sake, Vizh,” she said and he watched her pulled a similar box from her jacket pocket. “You beat me to it,” she smiled down at him. “But your proposal was definitely better than mine would have been.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You mean to tell me that we both bought each other rings and had the same idea for today?” Vision asked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, we really did,” Wanda said with a smile. “I’ll wear yours if you’ll wear mine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It would be an honour,” Vision said and finally stood to meet her. They exchanged rings, Vision’s was a gold band not entirely different from the one he had chosen for Wanda, their synchronicity was equal parts admirable as it was unsettling. Wanda admired their hands and looked up at Vision. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ready to discuss my plans for our children’s potential names? That’s what you meant by a life that we can grow old in, right?” She said, the smile hadn’t left her face since he stopped talking. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Only if you are willing to listen to my ideas for a potential floor plan for the house we’ll live in together,” Vision responded, his heart light with the promise of the future and his head almost dizzy with the overwhelming waves of love that wanted to pour out of him and wash over Wanda. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are we really doing this? Is it really happening?” She said, and he shared some of her disbelief. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It really is, darling,” Vision replied and he took her hand. They headed inside and spent the whole evening planning the future, planning their lives together, creating a world in which they would both be happy and most importantly, where they would be together.</span>
</p>
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